MobyP

I've decided, of late, that I know two things to be true. Firstly, that the pop band Boney M were without doubt secretly being run by the politburo, through the KGB, as a means of controlling the fragile yet impressionable minds of the decedent West's young. They wanted us all to be anarchists. They wanted assassins. And Boney M is how they did it. The second, is that Gordon Ramsay is not a genius. Although I could be wrong about Ramsay. See, when I was eight years old, and one day walking down the street, change jangling in pocket, my feet metronomically dividing four into four and then eight into eight, a series of words flew at me, as from nowhere, which were so calamitous, so devestating, that I'm haunted to this day. "Ra- Ra- Rasputin, Russia's greatest Love Machine!" I stopped, and so did the words. I resumed, and like someone plugging in a juke box, so did they. I tried running, but the words just sped up (rararasbuttonrussiasgreydestluvmunchin), chasing after me like an insane chihuahua trying to hump my leg. It took me years to get over it. Although Boney M split up, they had completed their mission. They returned to their Soviet handlers, were rolled up in afghany carpets and smuggled out of the country in the back of a transit van. But ever after I had that Ra-ra-Rastputin hole. My monkey. I was a plant, a mole, ready to be reactivated by the KGB at any moment. If ever I heard that song again, I was ready to kill someone - and surely this was the point. Of course, the KGB don't let you go that easy. They tested me every now and then, just to make sure - C'est Chic! - anything by Lionel Ritchie - even the Police, occasionally - and then one day it was gone. Years under the yolk, and then freedom. Ah, I almost wept. Until now. On Tuesday, I was walking down the street, and it came to me: "Gordon Ramsay is not a genius." I tried to throw it away, or scrape it off my boots, but it just stuck. It kept repeating, over and over. I'd had lunch there the day before. It was good. It was really, really good. But it wasn't that good. So - either it's true, and Ramsay's not a genius, or the KGB wants me to kill someone, and it's all because of Boney M. I know where I'm placing my money.

Thanks, everyone. (And 'echire' - thanks arty) I recently brought half a pound of interesting looking butter back from france and used it last night in a tarte tatin - the richness was unbelievable. The problems here are, I imagine, the problems everywhere. The supermarkets all stock the same 'French' brands, which tend to be decent but lowest common denominator, and of course their own brands, which are all (as we say over here) much of a muchness. If anyone knows a great supply in the London area, obviously I'd pay vast amounts for the information.

Club Gascon has been receiving a lot of mixed reviews. It just won that award, though obviously whether you're going to listen to a bunch of professional food critics is entirely up to you. I wonder if Monsieur 'sight-challenged' Higgins has been - I have the feeling he has - and he might have an opinion or two. I hear Hakkasan is unbeatable, but the service is apparently extremely poor, so I don't know how romantic you impaling the waiter with a chop-stick would be (unless you and your girlfriend are both members of the Klingon appreciation society). I have to say - I just took my wife to GR-RHR for her birthday lunch, and it was pretty unbeatable - except for the price (GR-GBH), which with some very nice wine, said 'bye-bye' to 100 quid a head. That said, you could do it for much less. Anyway - you're in the right place. Welcome! And let us know what you chose, how good it was, and how many years you expect to serve in Brixton for attacking that waiter!

very nice report. How does your experience go up against previous egulleteers? Do you think the place has progressed? Is Wareing getting what he wants? And what about them stars?

I've been baking semi-seriously for a couple of years now, and it only recently occured to me that other than on a rather superficial level (salted/unsalted, 82/83% fat etc) I haven't really thought about the differences between butters. So what are the major differences? What does it mean to have a higher water, or fat content? What do the professional pastry chefs in the UK use? Is it different in the US? (I remember there was an article in the dGullet which mentioned plugra - which I've never seen.) What's available if you're willing to go a bit further? Which are the larger brands that people find acceptable? And the smaller brands that no one knows about? Are there any pastry chefs in the UK that can help us out?

A classic of our time.

Ah, but arancini are a reason to live, in my book. And I never seem to have any left over, no matter how much I cook!

I should say also - The Sugar Club (which is a restaurant) has Peter Gordon in the kitchen, a well known New Zealnd chef - so that must've helped for financing. Here's a link if anyone else is interested. It's just off ladbroke grove, near portobello. [edt to add link]

I've been there several times. The most important thing about the operation is that all of the food, to my understanding, comes from the kitchen of The Sugar Club near by - so it's a matter of an already existing operation working up to its capacity, rather than a shop having to lay out for a kitchen plus staff. The food looks great, though I haven't tasted much. Very simple packaging, simple logo, and generally big pot food that you could do relatively simply in bulk, and then sell - so, duck confit, braised lamb shanks etc. They also have some interesting deserts. Beyond that, they have deals with pasta firms, risotto rice etc, to repackage the stuff under the 'Grocer' label - which again is done very attractively. You know the 'generic' section in US supermarkets - like that - one or two words, monochromatic, but much more stylish. The prices are not cheap, though I couldn't place them accurately. Essentially, it's restaurant food, repackaged simply, cheaply, for the deli and take home market. I think it would be well worth looking into duplicating the general ideas elsewhere. Best of luck.

From someone over the seas, who never expects to be able to eat there, your report has been invaluable. Thanks for taking the time. Amazing photographs too.

That's a great review at the top. Are you planing to go back? And if so, could we get a report if you do? And do you know- did they steam the partridge, or roast it? Cheers.

Tarka - can I sign on for your Fat Duck/Waterside Inn voyage? I thought I had dreams of my own - turns out they were yours.

Forty minutes by: 1. Walking 2. Car. 3. Train. 4. Concord 5. Tied to an ICBM? Options 4 and 5 I can help you with. 1-3, I think you might need to take a bunch of us and show us what's good. Andy might know... (I'll see if I can get him down here...)

There's still a bit room at the top: Get a Molteni: Molteni G140 G160 G230 or a Bonnet: Bonnet Maestro I'm so in love I'm in pain.

Have you been to Buyers and Sellers in Ladbroke Grove? They often have high range gear on display - if not quite hooked up to the gas mains. They gave me a fantastic deal on a showroom Viking. Also, there's a pretty good shop in Reigate - opposite the cinema - exit 7 on the M25. They have lacanches, mercury's, Britannias and Smegs on display. Wolf - as you mentioned - split their franchise in two - the home range went to Sub-Zero, and I hear the quality has suffered. On the catering side, they gave it in this country to Hobart. I haven't heard anything about prices though, or ventilation requirements, given how powerful they probably are. Has anyone looked at Mercury (I think that's the name). They're made by Falcon, who do catering pieces, and seem well constructed.

Tarka - without doubt you have to do both. Then you'll have Wd-50, Gagnaire, Bulli, Savoy and RHR in the same year. And then you have to write a compare and contrast, 5,000 words, with no adverbs.

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 This is London And the new Observer Food Monthly. Restaurants Matthew Fort The Anchor & Hope. Marina O'Laughlin at The Wolseley Of course, Jan Moir and Fay Maschler might have also been there - I wouldn't hazard a guess. Marina O'Laughlin shows you where to find a bit of turkey, this Thanksgiving. Jay Rayner in Birmingham - at Jessica's. The continuing adventures of Morgan M. Siobhan Murphy goes to Solyluna, London's first Venezuelan restaurant. A A Gill returns from America, having failed to discover the purpose of life, or get a job as an escort at the new Trotter place, instead decides, after his usual prevarication, to review Shumi. And yet more Shumi... Matthew Norman at Julien in Paris. Fay Maschler - with Fish-man Rick Stein at Rhodes 24 Features Truffles in Croatia? Rosanna de Lisle goes digging. Tim Atkin on the retirement of Spain's greatest winemaker. Food Heston Blumenthal with an extremely impressive recipe for Oxtail. Gordon Ramsey on Snack food. Richard Ehrlich on Lardons. Mark Hix - the perfect Christmas feast. Mutton dressed as Lamb. Rowley Leigh - goes in for chunky winter Soups. Nigel Slater on Sausages. Tamasin Day-Lewis prepares Autumnal dishes. As does Jill Dupleix Wine and Spirits Super plonk. Cellar notes #7: The Shiraz Showdown. Tamasin Day-Lewis - Sloe Gin. Joanna Simon - California Sauce.

Robyn - imagine being in the UK and trying to get a French Laundry reservation. Either you could fax GR now for a date at least one month in the future, or fax them one month from the date, explaining the difficulty - or maybe someone here could call for you. What else are borderline monomaniacs good for? I got a lunch reservation there about ten days ahead with little difficulty. And don't go to Sketch. If you have 500 Euros, go to Paris and have lunch at Gagnaire's place. You'll save hundreds, and it will be the meal of a lifetime.

Tarka - the californians break open a vit C tablet into it - helps the basil stay fresh and green. A good squeeze of lemon juice also helps. Apart from freezing, you can always pour a good layer of olive oil to cover. That should keep you, just about, till Saturday. Also - whadaya taking advice about food storage from a man who puts avocado on his burger for? He should've scraped that thing off before he starts abusing your pesto. Face it - the guy lives dangerously.

Hi el nino - and welcome. Yes I am in fact the Moby. But I thought life as a rock star was a bit 2001, and the career opportunities as a host on eGullet were simply too good to pass up.

Other options: here for basic cookers, hobs etc, And here for something bespoke. Or here for the best of the best. Alternatively, there's a good smeg hob available in the 700 quid range with five or six burners, two of which are (I think) in the 3.5-4.5kw range (I found it on the first link, can't remember the details at the minute), and it means you would have more control over which ovens you pair up with it.

Pugster - I'm exactly the same - although I'm agoraphobic (can't stand huge crowds of people), so I usually get to the market for 8.30, and I'm gone by 9.30, when the crowds start kicking in. But when I first went there, I'd get struck snow blind and end up only with half of what I needed. As for names - they're difficult to spot. Booths is the nearest veg place when you're walking towards the market from Neils Yard Dairy (i.e. you turn right towards the market, and it's just there on your left - opposite the fish and poultry places). It also has large crates of the most amazing mushrooms - where everyone else only has a basket or two. Criminis - I think - are just called brown mushrooms here (they're the young ones - cultivated as opposed to wild - that grow into portobellos. right?). I've seen them in supermarkets - but I'm not sure about Borough. Veg is very expensive, so make sure you only buy there what you're not going to find anywhere else (eg cavalo nero, radicchio traviso, porcini - yes. Carrots, mire poix - no). The more often you go, the more you'll learn these things. As for meat: the Ginger Pig (on the same side as Brindisia, but further down) does the most mind-bogglingly good pork. Gloucester Old spot, Tamworths (and there's a third one I forget - something like Pod). These are the old breeds, which they raise themselves. Apart from Niman Ranch, I'm not sure America has anything comparable. Does anyone know who does the best meat? And has anyone tried the herdwick lamb? What characterises it? The poultry place does great game, as well as european poultry (but not Bresse). And if you're in the mood for some fancy-pants cooking, they have the cheapest foie gras in town - it's Belgian, but pretty good. Also, their chicken carcases are 50p each (for stocks, etc). You might find them cheaper elsewhere. I tend not to stray into the pre-prepared section of the market, past the train tracks. Although there's a good Italian stall there that sells different olive oils - I've had some really nice ones from there. Unfortunately we're in the dead zone for olive oil right now. The new season's about to come, and everyone's trying to get rid of last year's stock. So I stay away from the good stuff until Jan or Feb. Also, I had a croissant there the other week, opposite the 'wild beef' or whatever that place is, and it must've been three days old, and tough as boot leather.

Is that post-facto or ad hoc bitchiness? Or of the grabbing the waiter by the lapels and threatening to turn his poodle into the INS if we don't get another piece of foie gras - kind?

While not very impeccant, and modestly impeccunious, and keeping Scott's motto in mind, I'd think this discussion comes with 2 possibilities. 1) If we have dinner (£55), then there's more leeway on wine. 2) If the tasting (£75) then there's more on food. My preference would be towards 2. Andy - could you give us some estimates on cost + service for the two options, so people can express a preference?

Well - even quick polls take time it seems. I called, and the Friday (30th) was booked. So Thursday 22nd Jan we are. They're sending me the details. Apologies in advance for Friday morning.