The Royal Highland Show

Every year a little bit of the Scottish Countryside decamps to the outskirts of Edinburgh. Animals are groomed for the occasion, produce is perfected and strange bits of farm machinery materialise for ruddy-cheeked men to talk knowingly about. The event in question is the Royal Highland Show.

Going to the show has always been a bit of a family tradition for my family. My dad grew up on a farm so he has a stock of tales of his exploits growing up to regale me with. As a small boy there was also the added advantage of there being tractors to play on.

The show was on again a couple of weeks ago and again I paid a visit to my parents and we went for a look round the show. Along with displays of farm equipment and copious amounts of livestock on show, the best bits of rural Scottish living are also showcased. This includes acres of tweed (including tweed mini-skirts of all things), Barbour jackets, Hunter wellies and various craft stalls. There were also demonstrations of rural skills such as shooting, fishing, falconry and horse shoeing.

The reason a write up of the show is appearing in these pages is that it is a bit of a haven for foodie types. One of the big attractions for me is the truly enormous food hall where artisan food produces ply their trade. The variety of food and drink available is mind-blowing. As well as the haggis, pies and black pudding, there are some slightly more unusual options. Gourmet oils seemed to be very much in vogue this year along with cheddar cheeses that have been flavoured in various ways. Jams, pickles and other preserves were also very much in evidence. Naturally, plenty free samples were tried which resulted in many not-so-free samples being bought to take home. I also had the opportunity to try the beer from the Eden Brewery in St. Andrews. but more of that in a later post.

Lunch at the show is always good fun. Unlike the token greasy burger and bacon sandwich wagon that appears at most events, the stalls at the show are all very much on the gourmet scale. Venison burgers anyone? Or if that doesn't tickle your fancy then why not a hog roast. You can pick the breed of the hog... naturally. I'm certain I saw bits of wild boar on sale somewhere!

As far as food goes, my favourite food experience is the same this year as it has been every year previously. The fresh doughnut stall. I have always loved hot, fresh doughnuts to be eaten outside the stall from a paper bag as they cascade sugar. Although these stalls aren't unique to the Royal Highland Show, it is here that I have the strongest memories of them. I have always loved nibbling at the crispy periphery as the fluffy interior cools enough to be edible. There was also the challenge of eating a whole one without getting covered in sugar (a challenge I have yet to succeed at). Finally there is a slightly giddy sugar high after eating one too many. Lovely!

Despite the high quality of the food, the show was stolen by another event entirely (although slightly food related if you squint a bit). Mordor Gundogs is a company, based in \Perthshire that breeds and trains gundogs (see, they fetch fame birds which are then eaten). They put on a display with some of their dogs. Seeing these beautiful and beautifully trained Labrador and spaniels in action was an absolute joy. The ultimate show stoppers amongst the group were the two eight week old black labrador puppies. Enough said!

TFB

The Kingham Plough

Gastropubs have always been a source of suspicion for me. The concept seems straight forward enough: a pub that serves excellent food. In practise though, things are rarely that simple. Often the term "Gastropub" is a synonym for a restaurant that is being run from an old pub building. A rose (or maybe Rose and Crown) by any other name as it were. These can be quite well concealed from the outside and only display their true colours (mainly white from the starched linen) once you cross the threshold. While I like formal silver service with all the trimmings, there's a time and a place. In the pub when you're looking for a quiet pint is neither.

At the other end of the scale are the perfectly decent pubs that use the prefix "Gastro" and/or overly elaborate menus (often featuring purple sprouting broccoli or shavings of parmesan) to bung a hefty price tag on to otherwise mediocre food. The kind of place where one has to choose from a vast array of breads when selecting one's lunchtime sandwich to go with your pint then being relieved of about fifteen quid for the privilege.

The above examples are bad gastropubs. What makes a good one? Well first and foremost, it has to be a pub. Somewhere comfortable and welcoming where one can relax, have a pint and generally let one's hair down, either sitting in the corner with the paper or with friends. It also has to serve excellent food. I am of the opinion that fine dining has it's place and that place is in restaurants. Pub food should be wholesome, hearty and not too fussy (although this should not be a barrier to quality).

Does such a mythical place exist? Until recently I had my doubts. Some things are perhaps too good to be true. However that was before I discovered the Kingham Plough.

This little gem first came on to my radar when I moved to Oxford and started looking at places to eat. The menu looked delicious yet unpretentious, the surroundings looked idyllic and the general attitudes expressed on the website gave me the impression that it ticked all the boxes. An appearance by head chef Emily on the Great British Menu didn't hurt it's appeal either.

We have now been a couple of times under various pretexts and I can confidently (and happily) say that it exceeded our wildest hopes and expectations. Even the drive there was an absolute joy, taking in, as it did, some magnificent Cotswold's countryside.

The pub itself is at the very heart of the village of Kingham, just by the village green. The building is built from beautiful Cotswold stone with a large car park out the back and a garden for dogs/kids to burn off some steam.

Once inside, the pub has a lovely rustic feel with solid wooden furniture, tweed upholstery on the chairs and decorating the windows, and lovely exposed stone walls hung with pictures by local artists. So far we have only been in summer but I expect the genuine log fire will only add to the ambience during the winter months. After a tantalising glance into the kitchen one enters the main bar.

The bar scores major brownie points with me for being a proper bar not just a few bar stools grudgingly laid out next to a meagre offering in the corner. It is well stocked with a good range of local ales, spirits (including some rather good malts), an extensive wine list and an impressive looking humidor. Beyond all this though, it feels like a really cosy local. This is only enhanced by the (very sensible) dog friendly policy.

Off to one side is the dining room with tables set out more formally. One feature of the dining room I particularly liked was the lighting. It managed to be gentle and soft without ever making the room feel dingy and dark. Not an easy feat to pull off.

The pub is run by husband and wife team Miles and Emily. As Emily was off on maternity leave during our visits we have yet to have the pleasure of meeting her, however Miles was a true character and started our night with a bang. He is a master of non-verbal communication and is able to speak volumes with a nod of the head or a raised eyebrow. His welcome set the tone for the evening; very relaxed and casual making us feel completely at home. This was continued by the other staff who were extremely friendly and soon had us feeling like we were long-lost friends catching up. All of this gave huge warmth to the evening. Most importantly, it didn't have the forced and false feeling of the scripted "banter" in some imported chain restaurants.

Sadly, there was one key member of the team we did not get to meet. Someone who managed to cement our good impressions of the pub before we even got close. Her name is Ootie and she's the pub Jack Russel who, according to her blog on the pub's website, does like pork scratchings and tummy tickles but is emphatically NOT cute! It's a shame really. Since we're both massive dog-lovers we had treats secreted about our person in expectation of meeting her.

Anyway without further ado, let me get on to the food. If you want a one word summary then let it be this, "Wowitwasbloodyfantastic!" (ok slight artistic licence there but I am quarter German so I'm allowed to use compound words). Not only was the flavour amazing but the nigh-on impossible was achieved: the portion sizes were judged to perfection. They left me (a reformed rower with an equine appetite) feeling suitably sated while not over feeding my girlfriend's mother who has the stomach capacity of a sparrow with a gastric band. I swear the plates must have been made by the same person who made the tardis.

My starters at various points were smoked mackrel with bloody mary sorbet or duck terrine with lentil salad. Both were beautiful with rich, bold flavours and a lovely array of textures and temperatures. Each had me desperate for more. The food was artfully presented on the plate without being fussy which is always a relief since it means one doesn't have to chase several elements round a plate to get a decent mouthful.

The main course caused me to break one of my main rules of eating out; I had the same dish twice. Usually I wouldn't dream of this so I get to try a decent amount of variety. Each time I went to the Kingham Plough however I had the steak, chips and onion rings. The flavour of the steak was unbelievable (quite the best bit of skirt I've ever had... well skirt beef anyway), the onion rings beautifully crispy and the triple-cooked chips light, fluffy and crispy.  I can also confidently recommend the chicken with the cock-a-leekie pie; the few scavenged morsels I managed to get my mitts on were delicious.

Dessert was my customary cheese board; I liked being able to choose between various local cheeses and I particularly liked the fact that as well as more mainstream cheeses there were some slightly left-field choices such as a range of sheep's cheese. This reflects one of the main philosophies of the Kingham Plough; local produce. Most of what is cooked is produced within about ten miles of the pub. The cheese board also scored major brownie points with me for having enough biscuits/bread to have all the cheese. The lack thereof is a pet hate.

Finally, with coffees we had the selection of sweets. These are an absolute must. Usually there is a fudge, a truffle, a muffin and a jelly. All are absolutely delicious and were a perfect way to round off the meal. I was genuinely impressed by the fact that the sweets had taken flavours I'm usually not a fan of (such as banana) and made them delicious.

Overall, I really can't find fault with either of my experiences at the Kingham Plough (apart from lack of dog). The quality of the food and the cooking was superb, the surroundings were magnificent and the atmosphere was just perfect. I can't think of a better goal for other gastropubs to aim for. My opinions were shared by my girlfriend and her family. None of us can stop raving about it (as this post may suggest). In fact the only individual who was anything less than bowled over was her parent's dog who came with us the second time and who didn't get nearly as many titbits as he thought he ought to get!

We will be going back soon.

TFB

Hot Toddy

My dear girlfriend has a cold. To her credit she is suffering in relative silence (if you can ignore the sniffs and the sneezes) and is getting by burying herself nose-first in a box of tissues with industrial amounts of lemsip.

However being a caring sort of soul I decided to add my own remedy into the mix; well a family recipe that has been handed down to me from my parents. A traditional Scottish hot toddy to promote recovery and relieve symptoms.

First I will give you the recipe for it and then I will attempt to bring my background in bioscience to bear and explain the purpose of each of the ingredients. So here goes:

Ingredients:

300ml boiling water
1tbsp honey
2tbsp lemon juice
a wee sploosh of whisky (a wee sploosh is bigger than a nip but smaller than a dram and a lot smaller than a wee dram - whisky measures to be explained at a later date)

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together in a favourite mug and sip while feeling sorry for one's self.

Ok, now let me go through the ingredients and justify them a bit. The water is a good place to start. Having the cold puts one at risk of dehydration (and not just through snot production).Mounting any kind of immune response takes a lot of effort by your body and it can run itself down including dehydrating. This is worsened by the fact that one doesn't always feel like drinking when one has the cold which will limit the replacement of fluid used.

The honey serves three purposes. It provides energy to mount the immune response and give you a bit of a sugar rush to keep going while feeling dreadful. Thick honey can also coat the back of the throat which should gently relieve the dry, scratchy feeling of a sore throat. Finally, there is some evidence to suggest that honey also has anti-inflammatory properties so it will actively help the reduction of a sore throat.

Lemon juice is a simple one; it provides a hit of vitamin C to give the immune system a bit of a boost and help it work. Although the majority of research I've seen stresses it's beforehand that vitamin C does it's greatest good, enhancing one's consumption during a bout of the cold can help reduce it's duration.

The whisky one is harder to justify. I could try and argue that the alcohol will kill off all the nasties in your throat that is making it feel like you've been gargling sandpaper but I would be stretching the limits of possibility there. Instead I'm going to go with the fact that it adds a warming element to the drink and makes one feel generally better about the world. Not only that, it can be just enough to knock you out into a really nice, sound sleep.

There we have it; a basic hot toddy recipe. You can experiment and add other ingredients like cinnamon and cloves to improve the flavour and add health-giving properties depending on what you believe but this should keep you going in the mean time.

So with my kitchen cupboard pharmacy done for the night, I'm off for a prophylactic nip of whisky. Can't risk getting this myself can I?

TFB

Coffee

Those of you that know me will know that I'm not a morning person. If you don't, I suggest you take someone's word for it; it's not a pretty sight. For me mornings are something to be endured rather than enjoyed. There is one thing however that is guaranteed to return me to the land of the living, that will make me at least vaguely tolerant of other human beings (and tolerable to - edit by long-suffering girlfriend). A magical elixir of life. Coffee!

Coffee is my saviour. Being a bit of a creature of habit, it's enhanced further by having it in my favourite James Bond mug. I have been known to charge round the kitchen like an angry rhinoceros until I find it. However back to coffee; in my opinion it's living proof that aromatherapy can work. The smell is just about enough to lift me out of my post-sleep haze. The taste is even better. It elicits a semi-Pavlovian response that doesn't quite cheer me up but it does put a slightly less severe grimace on my face!

One of the best presents I've ever had was a coffee percolator.. Better still it has a built in timer meaning that I can set it up in the evening and have fresh coffee waiting for me first things in the morning. An insulated coffee mug is also a bit of a must. It guarantees a steady supply of decent coffee until about 11 in the morning. Plenty of time to wake up and become human.

However there is a slight problem in this general morning act of caffeine worship. I am a wee bit of a caffeine snob. Not to the point that I will drink Jamaican Blue Mountain and nothing else (just as well given it's only marginally less expensive than gold) but I do struggle with instant. I'm also not the biggest fan of Barista-style coffee which makes getting a coffee on the move a bit of a pain. Ground coffee brewed in a percolator or French press is my favourite way of getting my fix. This will no doubt be scorned by purists as I would scorn someone who puts coke in a fine whisky but what's the point in rules if they can't be broken eh?

There is however one part of the coffee world that leaves me cold (metaphorically at least). Something which comes below Barista coffee and the menus that require a PhD in conversational Italian to understand. Worse than the acrid disappointment that is a cup of instant. It is... decaf. I really, REALLY struggle to see the point. Admittedly, part of the reason I drink coffee is for the caffeine hit but I also love the flavour too and decaf just doesn't taste as good. It tries to but it doesn't quite succeed. The whole experience is similar to drinking diet soft drinks or non-alcoholic beer. There is all of the anticipation of the main performance but it just doesn't quite come up to par.

So with that thought I will leave you to a morning beverage.

Have a good week.

TFB

Cocktail Hour: Raouls Oxford

As you can guess from the name of this post, this is a review of a cocktail bar. One that's just up the road to be precise. Cocktails have always been a bit of a strange one for me. I love the idea however the reality doesn't always live up to the expectation. Either they are too sweet, too fruity or just plain lumbered with ingredients that I don't like! (Petulant I know but given the price of cocktails, can you blame me?) For a bit of fun however, they hit the spot nicely.

Raouls is located in the Jericho area of Oxford close to lots of places to get food. As such it is ideally placed for a pre-dinner aperitif or a final drink before heading home. The outside is pleasantly inconspicuous with an outdoor terrace and the occasional bouncer being the only clue that there's a bar.

Inside there are lots of leather-padded sofas, tables with candle-effect LED lights and several padded recesses. This, combined with the dingy lighting and the thumping house music, creates the effect of an up marked brothel waiting room (or how I would imagine one to be).

Putting aside my first impressions I went to the bar to order some drinks. My first cocktail of the night is almost always a Vesper Martini; shaken of course. This is mainly because I like it as a drink but also means that I have grounds for objective comparison between bars. As it is a fairly common drink, it is usually easy to get hold of even when I order off menu. Normally this is a simple transaction. I go up to the car and order my drink, the barman makes it, I thank him, pay him and then enjoy my drink. This time however I was rather rudely interrogated as to why I was ordering this drink. I explained that I liked it and was met by a cynically raised eye brow and a small tirade saying people only drink it because it's the Bond drink. Perhaps but since they're paying for it, it's the customer's prerogative. Being a bit awkward I didn't back down and in the end, my drink was made for me but clearly it was done under duress.

In the end, the drink wasn't bad. The flavour wasn't the best I've ever had but I've had much worse. I particularly liked the detail of serving it in a champagne goblet rather than the usual martini glass as was stipulated in Ian Fleming's novel "Casino Royale".

My next drink  was a negroni. This was much more cheerfully (and graciously) received and wasn't half bad. As you can probably deduce, I like my cocktails strong. The negroni didn't disappoint and wasn't spoiled, as some are, by garnishes of citrus fruits.

On a different tack, the menu also has an extensive range of sweet drinks; much like alcoholic milkshakes. These went down a storm with my girlfriend who generally like flavours a few spoons of sugar past sickly. They are served with a suitable degree of flamboyance including garnishing with flaming rum.

Price wise, most of the drinks are hovering in the seven pound something bracket. This is fairly average for cocktails. However there doesn't appear to be any form of promotions or happy hours which is a wee bit disappointing.

Overall, if you like sweet drinks then this is the place to go. If however your tastes lie elsewhere (or worse if you know your mind and aren't afraid to ask for it) then I suggest venturing elsewhere. The drinks are good but not excellent and let down by overly loud music and the problems with service which I encountered.

TFB

Sandwiches

Today's post it a bit of a rant but, as you will see, it is something which arouses great passion in me. Specifically, why the hell don't sandwiches contain what they say on the packet?

Allow me to clarify; although I like to flatter myself by thinking I have a reasonably sophisticated palette; I still think simplicity has it's place. Especially in sandwiches. If I buy, for example, a cheese and ham sandwich I expect bread, butter, cheese, ham and perhaps some mustard. What I do not expect, want or appreciate paying for is lettuce, tomato, cucumber or other miscellaneous crap. Nor do I appreciate the spectacularly inelegant process of picking it out. Note to sandwich makers of the world; if I want that stuff in my sandwich, I will buy one with the word, "salad" in the title.

What's even worse is the covert crap. You know? When you buy a sandwich that looks like it's got the ingredients on the packet then suddenly, three bites in, you get a mouth-full of unwanted gunk. One would think this phenomenon would be confined to the cheaper sandwiches, wishing to pad out a minimal amount of good stuff with cheap fillings however it seems the more expensive the sandwich, the worse the offender.

The follow on from this is side salad. Why? I have yet to encounter a meal that has been improved by side salad. It's not even as if the salad can be regarded as a decorative garnish; it doesn't make the plate of food look any more apetising. In both of these cases I get two overwhealming feelings. One; irritation (you probably guessed that. Two; a massive sense of guilt about depriving some innocent rabbits of their lunch!

Another offender is mayonnaise. I have an egg allergy so mayonnaise is an issue of health rather than a taste issue. Why, why, why is mayo included almost ubiquitously? Some ingredients warrant it; fair enough. In those cases, include it in the title. For the rest. Leave it out. Why, to take the previous example of a fairly normal sandwich, do makers see fit to use a mustard mayonnaise. I don't want bloody mustard mayo... I just want mustard! Is that really so difficult for your intellect to comprehend? And if so, should you really be in the business of preparing food?

It seems insane that in these days of almost infinite choice (the menu in Starbucks anyone?) that in an area as important as a sandwich, we are deprived of it. Is the average person really incapable of deciding whether they want salad or mayo with their meal? If so, how come their little brains don't explode when they're interrogated about their desire for flavoured syrup to go in the coffee they're ordering to go with the meal?

Madness!

TFB

Tablet

Time for another recipe I think. Tablet is a wee sweetie from my homeland, Scotland. I would love to give you a detailed history suggesting it was initially developed to keep farmers warm and energised while they are working but that would be entirely made up (I think). It does however have a calorie or two in it so is a useful antidote to a diet!

So what is tablet? To appreciate it fully you really need to try it however that's not terribly helpful for a blog. For the texture the best comparison would be Kendal Mint Cake but since that's also a fairly niche product I will go for royal icing. Taste-wise it has a butterscotch/fudge flavour. In summary, it's a concoction of sugar, butter and condensed milk. I would suggest enjoying it sparingly however, once you've tried it, that won't happen!

Here goes:

Ingredients:

25g Butter (unsalted)
1/4 pint whole milk
500g sugar (less 1.5 tbsp)
205g condensed milk

Method:

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat.

When the butter is foaming and has gone a light, nutty colour add the milk and boil for a couple of minutes until both have combined.

Add the sugar while stirring gently to make sure it dissolves evenly. Bring to the boil and boil gently until the mixture has gone a light brown (this should take about 10 - 12 minutes).

When this is done, add the condensed milk and boil gently for around 15 minutes until the mixture is a light tan/cafe au lait colour. The consistency should be thick and viscous leaving a second or so trail if stirred briskly.

During the last two stages it is important to stir constantly otherwise the mixture will stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. Using a medium heat will also prevent things getting too hot and burning.

For an added treat you can add a dram (about 35ml) of whisky at this point for a bit of extra flavour.

Once the desired consistency has been reached, take the pot off the heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for three or four minutes then pour into a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. Leave to cool for a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle then cut into small pieces before it sets too fully and becomes brittle.

You're finished product should have a dense, crumbly texture that should yield easily to gentle biting.

Be aware that the above timings are very rough approximations only. The key element is the consistency of the mixture followed closely by the stirring once you take it off the heat. Also, it will take several attempts to perfect it. I spent several weeks concocting various sugary gloops before I managed to turn out something vaguely resembling tablet but in the end, the effort was well worth it. Since it can be a bit of a pain to pin down, feel free to send me message/leave a comment and I will do my best to help with any trouble shooting.

TFB

Raw Spirit

My first post on the subject of drinks on this blog was always going to be about whisky. It has always been a passion. However, as a tribute to the late Ian Banks, my first whisky post is going to be about his book Raw Spirit rather than the meander through whisky I had planned.

Raw Spirit is the only non-fiction book written by Banks (and according to him in the foreword, the only book he did any research for) and is one of my all-time favourite books on whisky. It centres around Banks' search for the perfect dram... a tough job I'm sure. The search was carried out by visiting as many distilleries as possible and, of course, sampling their wares. Throughout the book we are taken on various road trips in his enviable car collection, introduced to his old friends, party to the making of the new ones and witness to some fine examples of hearty Scottish cooking and hospitality. In short, this book encapsulates all that whisky means to me; beauty, adventure, friendship and an absolutely magnificent drink.

A bit pretentious? Perhaps but in the same way that a plate of food can be enhanced by skilful seasoning and delicate presentation so the drinking of whisky can be more about the experience than simply the taste of whisky.

Back to the book: it's not for no reason that Banks has won so many literary awards. He writes beautifully. His descriptions of the roads, cars and scenery he encounters makes the reader feel like they are in the car with him. The descriptions of the whisky trounce established stodgy tasting notes and leave the taste buds tingling to try some. Admittedly, if you are developing your pallet and want some established tasting notes to help you puzzle out what's in your glass, there are much better books out there. However as a guide to the spirit of whisky drinking I can think of few better.

Despite the beauty of the writing and the superb subject matter, the best bit about the book has to be Banks himself. In the many recently published articles about him, a recurring theme is his enormous warmth, sense of humour and gentle nature. This is reflected in the writing of the book. By the time I had finished reading it, I felt like he was one of my friends, someone who is tremendous fun to pass the time with and can be relied upon to be entertaining company. Interestingly, this feeling was echoed amongst friends who have also read the book.

Time for another pretentious bit: the above sentiment I think is partly due to Banks but also due to whisky. You may think I'm being overly nostalgic but I can honestly say that the pursuit and/or effects of whisky has lead to the formation of long, lasting friendships and experiences with old friends that have formed life-long memories. This may be an automatic bond created by shared passion but I like to think that there's more romance to it than that.

So for the time being I urge you to pour yourself a dram of your favourite tipple if you're a whisky fan or go out on a limb and try one if you're not. When you've got that, raise your glass and savour the moment of enjoying a wonderful drink.

Sliante

TFB

Michelin Stars

I found this video on youtube the other morning. It's a documentary about Michelin stars (well you didn't expect it to be about AA Rosettes given the post title) examining the single minded determination with which chefs pursue them and what they mean to the everyday diner.

For something that started out as a guidebook to garages, the Michelin guide has taken on an almost biblical role in the restaurant review world. Reputations are made and lost on what it says. If you don't believe me, watch the programme. One person interviewed tells of French restaurants that go out of business shortly after losing stars. However is this reputation deserved and is there a bias towards classic French cooking over other styles of food?

My experience of Michelin cooking is limited. Going to restaurants with stars tends to be reserved as a treat for a special occasion. However my opinion based on that experience is that, at the one star level, the food is often at a par with non-starred eateries. That's not a negative comment towards the stars and more a positive comment towards the other places. Where I have noticed the difference is in the style of food and the style of service. In the one star places I have eaten, the food has always had a very French bias with the emphasis on delicately prepared ingredients that have been artfully presented. The word rustic could never apply! Similarly the service tends to be a bit more formal, almost like a dance where both the customer and the waiters know the steps. Compare this to the non-starred places where the food is still beautifully prepared and presented but is often much less fussy and fiddly. The service too is usually a bit more relaxed.

Strangely at the two and three star places I have eaten the opposite is true; when it comes to the service. As the number of stars increases, the service gets more relaxed and friendly. As I said in my post about Gordon Ramsay's three star restaurant, I was expecting the whole atmosphere to be very stuffy and yet it wasn't. It was still very dignified but guests and staff were united by a shared passion for food and the desire to make an experience of the whole event.

The conclusion in the programme was that Michelin stars were, if not over-hyped, then certainly not worth the deference they receive. It also suggested that there was still a distinct bias towards traditional French cooking and were not always a totally reliable guide. Instead they were a good means of motivating chefs to greater feats of achievement and skill.

I would disagree with some elements of this. Perhaps at the one-star end of the scale the guide can award a few too many. That's not to say that the restaurants that have them do not deserve them but acknowledges the fact that there are other restaurants that are equally as deserving. Then again, if I were a chef I would want one. They are not necessarily an absolute indicator of cooking prowess in the same way that exam grades don't always accurately reflect subject knowledge but everyone still wants an A anyway. Stars are however a good indicator of good, consistent cooking, fresh ingredients and showcasing of good produce and therefore can be a useful indicator for places to eat if one is new to an area or unfamiliar with what it has to offer. They are also a useful means of recognising and rewarding efforts expended by chefs.

Best of all in my opinion, Michelin inspectors guide their identity jealously. This means that their experience is hopefully about as close to the service received by normal customers as is possible to get by professional food critics. I like this philosophy and I think it bodes well for customer service. Michael Caines put it brilliantly when he was interviewed for the programme when he said that he treats every customer as if they are a Michelin inspector because they could well be.

So in conclusion; Michelin stars might not be the absolute epitome of good cooking but you would struggle to get a bad plate of food there.

TFB

Burgers

Here is the first of hopefully many recipes I post. Burgers were one of the first dishes I learned to cook; not the most technical thing ever but satisfying, tasty, quick and cheap. Sadly they are also the source of some not inconsiderable heartbreak. They were the first thing I cooked for my girlfriend's parents (in a shameless attempt to ingratiate myself) and they went down a storm. Sadly, they were so taken by them that they remain pretty much the only dish I've cooked for my girlfriend's parents. Now I might not have any Michelin stars but it does rather make me feel like a one-trick pony!

Worse, the taste for them seems to be genetic. My girlfriend loves them as well. Not such a bad thing for the most part... except when I'm feeling a bit soppy and romantic. I offer to cook with ideas of doing something intricate, technical and complex that will test my skills and yield impressive results. Something that will require effort to prepare and get me loads of brownie points. When I ask if she has any requests I almost always get the reply,"BURGERS!"

So without further ado, here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

700g beef mince
1 medium white onion (finely diced)
1 medium red onion (finely diced)
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
2 tsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
125g bread crumbs
Salt and pepper

Method:

Fry the onions and garlic together over a low heat with a pinch of salt, a few twists of pepper and about 1tsp vegetable oil.

Stir regularly until onions and garlic are well cooked and very soft.

Take off the heat and allow to cool.

While the onions and garlic are cooking; put the mince, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce into a large bowl then add the cooked onions and garlic after they have cooled slightly.

Knead all of the ingredients together with hands/masher until it forms a smooth pate. The mixture should be pliable but not too sticky (add more breadcrumbs if needed to achieve this consistency).

Shape small portions (about one hand-full) into burgers. For best consistency, press the mixture together hard before shaping then chill for about half an hour to set them. Fry in butter and serve with chips.

These will go well with ketchup but also compliment some of the sauces I will be posting in the near future.

As with every recipe I post, feel free to make and enjoy it. I welcome all feedback. But I want the credit too!!

TFB

Fried Breakfast

It's Sunday afternoon and my stomach is only just beginning to empty after a true weekend treat; a fried breakfast.

When I was younger, I used to avoid breakfast at all costs. Caffeine was usually all that I wanted/needed before I left the house. Now I'm older, I am far more conscientious about eating in the mornings. Most of the time this is still a bit of a chore. During the week I usually force down some cereal; stuff that's about as tasty and nutritious as the packaging but has the dubious virtues of being quick and filling a gap.

All this changes at the weekends. Then breakfast becomes something decadent to be savoured. Taking time to enjoy the first meal of the day is not just a nice start to the day but a nice way of reminding myself that it's the weekend and I don't have to rush about.

These breakfasts can take many forms; a selection of pastries and coffee, bacon rolls and the Scottish delicacy lorne sausage are all favourites but a truly decadent treat is a full fry-up especially when we go out and it's delivered to the table.

This leads on to the question of what makes up a proper fry-up? Most places will agree that sausage(s), bacon, beans, mushrooms, tomato, egg and some form of bread will feature. The first debate is whether the bread should be toasted or fried. For my money, I prefer the latter even if it is less healthy. A couple of slabs of black pudding never go amiss either, nor do some fried potato scones and some hash browns even if we are starting to get a bit heavy on the carbohydrate. Lorne sausage (flat squares of sausage meat) are also most welcome although usually a delicacy found exclusively in Scotland.

Sadly there is a problem with all this (beyond the astronomical risk of a heart attack)... if you're lucky enough to find all of this piled on your plate of a morning, you will almost certainly find it impossible to finish! If you don't believe me, try a triple in Jacks cafe in South West London or a Big St. Andrews Breakfast in MacGreggors on Market Street in St. Andrews. Both these places offer variations of the ingredients listed above.

Go on... I dare you!

TFB