Pinga

I am the proud owner of an AGA and at this time of the year all friends and family agree how fantastic it is to have a centre of the house for all to gather around,lean up against and generally get cozy alongside.I have mine in the kitchen /dining area and do turn it off during the summer and use an electric oven.For roasting it has few competitors and for baking and slow cooking of oven top dishes the constant heat is great. Would I put one in a new kitchen,damn right but I realize it is an extravagance.

Maybe a bit seasonal but what about a whole Vacherin in the tub ,to be eaten with a spoon. Otherwise 1)Montgomery cheddar 2)Cashel Blue 3)Goat

I had dinner there on tuesday,garlic mouse with mussels then my favourite rabbit with mustard and bacon .I arrived at nearly 9.00 and was the last to leave at around 11.00-no hassle from them on being last and great all round.I am used to other places 'of the moment'still seating people at 11.00-maybe the more relaxed seating explains why everyone is so calm and helpfull.Another of my best things about this place is when you reserve they don't bother with a phone number and certainly no faxes,credit card details and the rest which seem to have become the norm This should be the model for others to follow.

Spam-I had a rabbit dish at Racine(great place ) the other day in a mustard sauce I think-pretty good but as you say the tendency to be dry is a problem with any lean game and possibly an arguement for farmed rabbit.

Just to add that in Dorset,where I spend most weekends,rabbit is freely available and almost given away(all wild) .What I have not been able to source is Hare.Not a taste you would want every day but I find that once a season with pappardelle is awesome and if you were to eat this in a London establishment I would expect it to cost mucho dineiro.Any ideas on a London butcher who would stock this. p.s sorry to wander off topic

Thankyou Hopleaf for your helpfull reply,I will give them both a test run. On a gardening matter with a food twist I am in the process of putting in a nuttery,I have dug out a one meter path for about 30 meters and will plant hazel whips on either side with a view to eventually training them over to give a covered walk.I will then under plant with cyclamen and bluebell.I am using common hazel ,the twisting Turkish hazel and am now looking around for other hazel types with particulaly tasty nuts-any suggestions(based in south west England on a fairly acidic soil,not too frost prone).

Just an enquiery and I am sorry if this has already been covered.I have enjoyed reading the occasional gardening comments in this thread but wonder if there is an e gullet equivalent for gardeners out there.I am UK based and would love to have the same wonderfull time that I spend reading and participating in my one favourite pastime,food and all that is associated with it,but for gardening my second great love.Any boards that I have seen are attached to commercial concerns and certainly do not have the incredible atmosphere we enjoy at egullet thanks Pinga p.s I hope it is not considered bad form to ask this question ,I promise not to spend any less time on this forum

thanks for replies,I just could'nt bring myself to taste it this morning after a fairly heavy night and on an empty stomach

I have a jar of goose fat left over from last March sitting in the fridge and it is only now after the weather has started to turn that I am contemplating roasting my potatoes in this fat for this upcoming weekends Sunday roast(A leg of Lamb with garlic and rosemary,baby glazed carrots and the roast potatoes,redcurrant jelly on the side).Have I left it too long and is this goose fat way to old to use? Thanks Pinga

Thanks for the lesson,I am looking forward to trying some of the 'child'sauces ,is that the right term ,for Hollandaise.I wonder what people would recommend with the sauce Divine,sherry is a favourite of mine and I am wondering on a partner. Just as an aside to home cooks I find that the easiest way to keep my Hollandaise warm while having another course or just staying in the room with guests rather than at the stove ,is to keep it in a thermos flask,or as I now have,a small coffee thermos in white shaped as a jug-this can be bought to table.

Welcome to you,fellow Brit. I do a pasta dish with chorizo and rosemary. Heat some butter,put in some chopped rosemary,add a tin of tomatoes(a little sugar improves there flavour) then the chopped chorizo.cook down for about 5 minutes then add a little cream,reduce a bit more.Add a pinch of chilli flakes,salt and pepper then toss with some cooked pene and a spoon of parmesan. I have to admit to getting the idea from Ballymaloe cooking school .

Is there a special reason to refridgerate walnut oil? On things to always have in the fridge a chunk of parmesan,various pestos,tomato paste,Japanese pickled ginger ,wasabi,soy,all the other things people have mentioned.

Another South American side would be Farofa,this is Brazilian and is a ground ,fried manioc root with egg (tastes better than it sounds ).usually served at churascurias(bbq places)with steaks.

Just got a new mexican cook book "The Essential Cuisines of Mexico" by Diana Kennedy.This combines her previous books "The Cuisines of Mexico","The Tortilla Book" and "Mexican Regional Cooking" together in one.This is the real thing and I was suprised on popping out to my local (in Dorset)Sainsbury to find Habeneros chiles freshly available to get me started in addition to Jalapenos in brine.

Hi Akiko-sorry for the delay-the gazpacho has the following cucumber,tomato,red onion red chilli,garlic,grated ginger,coriander leaves,mint leaves,rice vinegar(the brown one)soy ,lime juice,sugar ,EVOO and salt and pepper. not being too specific as copyrighted

I went to a Japanese cooking demo in London last week and the chef,Kimiko Barber recommended a Japanese grocery chain in London called Atari-Ya 0208 458 7626,for most ingredients. The demos showed 'Nobu' inspired dishes which were great Japanese Gazpacho anyone.

Did someone say greengage plums have been and gone?In the UK they are ,I certainly hope,about to put in an appearance.They are ,I think ,called Reine Claude and are august fruit to me. Beginning to od on broad beans and strawberries though

Glad to have come across other Perez-Reverte fans.The Fencing Master was my introduction after a BBC Radio 4 adaptation .I also enjoyed The Nautical Chart and hated the film The Ninth Gate. On upcoming food books I notice that Gordon Ramsey is producing a Pasta book later in the year and that Tamasin Day-Lewis is producing a follow-up to the excellent Art of the Tart on covered pies.

I eat the skin probably due to greed and laziness -I also always eat peach skin which some others don't.

Thanks Aquitaine and Jon- great feed back and the kind of depth only egullet can muster I have been eating the fruit like an apple,skin and all so have not needed Jon's spoon method as yet.

Hi Scotsaute-I did the 12 week course in January 2002-fantastic experience and great place to explore the west of Ireland from.September course will be better from an ingredients standpoint as the school has a huge and wonderfully stocked organic vegetable garden,also a farm at the school provides the eggs,pork from rare breed varieties and beef from their own herd amongst other things. Pinga

Apologies if this has already been covered(relative newbie) in another thread.I have noticed in UK supermarkets ,the sale of Kaki from Brazil,Persimmon from who knows where and Sharron Fruit from Israel-are they one of the same what is the best season and what can be done with them ?

Hi Alberto-your trip sounds great.I would highly recommend Ballymaloe House(I may be a bit biased as I studied cooking at the school run by Darina Allen nearby ).Another place I would recommend is Customs House Restaurant,Baltimore ,in co,cork. In general I think you will be impressed by the variety of good value and high standards with many local artisanal producers and the benefit of classic seafood still available straight from the sea nto the plate on the same day.Have fun and I look forward to your report.Pinga

Really enjoyed the thread and it got me wondering if you were looking to move abroad for a job,retirement ,sabatical whatever if the cuisine would be enough of a reason to jump. Iwas lucky enough to have been sent to live in Korea,Japan the US and Brazil for work and the food was a large factor.Italy is looking tempting but have not foundthe job to match it yet.

To start:Asparagus-cold so fingers could be used,simple balsamic based vinagrette. Main:Fresh cooked Dorset(England)Lobster ,lemon mayonaise,Jersey Royale new potatoes with butter and new cut chives,green beans with roast pine nuts. Pudd:Fresh berries to be dunked in double cream and fed to each other.