What are you eating and drinking tonight?

[Prufrock]

You can have a massive yes to the roquefort, the thing I (possibly) miss most about France.

[Bruce Rioja]

On Wednesday I had oysters for the first time ever . One question: WTF?

[William the White]

On Wednesday I had oysters for the first time ever . One question: WTF?

Partner absolutely adores oysters. I don't get it at all.

Did you have them with guinness? I did. In Dublin. Liked the guinness.

[Bruce Rioja]

On Wednesday I had oysters for the first time ever . One question: WTF?

Partner absolutely adores oysters. I don't get it at all.

Did you have them with guinness? I did. In Dublin. Liked the guinness.

No. I was in Killarney though, but wasn't offered them with any sort of stout, just a pinch of lemon.

All I got was a fleeting taste of salt and lemon. Made up for it with the rest of the cold seafood platter though, and the chowder to start was absolutely superb.

If you're ever down that way then the place is called Foley's, I recommend it, but be warned - for two courses you're looking at around €50.00 a head without wine!

[seanworth]

On Wednesday I had oysters for the first time ever . One question: WTF?

Partner absolutely adores oysters. I don't get it at all.

Did you have them with guinness? I did. In Dublin. Liked the guinness.

No. I was in Killarney though, but wasn't offered them with any sort of stout, just a pinch of lemon.

All I got was a fleeting taste of salt and lemon. Made up for it with the rest of the cold seafood platter though, and the chowder to start was absolutely superb.

If you're ever down that way then the place is called Foley's, I recommend it, but be warned - for two courses you're looking at around €50.00 a head without wine!

I love oysters. Growing up in the fall for lunch during low tide I would walk out from the front of the house down the beach only armed with a shucking knife and a bottle of tabasco. Still make up an oyster chowder everytime I go home, and also love them breaded. In Thailand I find the local oysters tasteless but the Chilean oysters with a shot of tabasco, and some fried garlic go down great.

[Lord Kangana]

Sounds cheap

As for the Oysters, give em a go beer battered, or wth my favourite shallots and sherry vinegar, or gratinate them with a bit of cheese and cream and grill. Theres a million ways to skin a cat! The whole raw on ther own thing is the same as Caviar, they don't taste of that much, which is why they are so highly prized for a fish product. I s'pose you either buy into that or you don't, depending on your sensibilities.

[Bruce Rioja]

Sounds cheap

As for the Oysters, give em a go beer battered, or wth my favourite shallots and sherry vinegar, or gratinate them with a bit of cheese and cream and grill. Theres a million ways to skin a cat! The whole raw on ther own thing is the same as Caviar, they don't taste of that much, which is why they are so highly prized for a fish product. I s'pose you either buy into that or you don't, depending on your sensibilities.

I shall quote you to my MD when he's scouring my expenses.

I tend to find that raw anything doesn't seem to taste of very much, I remember us having a similar conversation about a salmon tartare that I had in Luxembourg. I just can't get my head around: if salmon tastes so good when it's cooked - why eat it when it tastes of very little?

[Lord Kangana]

Add a hefty cash tip on aswell. Its only right and proper!

As for the salmon, the problem with that is most salmon these days is farmed. Which is fatty and flavourless (and also colourless, they feed them dye dontcha know, which means you can also buy dye-less albino salmon now ). I've had the pleasure and privelage of working with Wild Salmon, which is great. But to get that onto a restaurant menu these days and still make it worthwhile opening means that e50 suddenly becomes 100 or 150. And most people won't pay it, rightly or wrongly.

I see where you're going with the Oysters though, too much fuss is made about them..but as they say with Scotch Whisky (eeeuurggh from me) its all about acquired taste.

[seanworth]

Add a hefty cash tip on aswell. Its only right and proper!

As for the salmon, the problem with that is most salmon these days is farmed. Which is fatty and flavourless (and also colourless, they feed them dye dontcha know, which means you can also buy dye-less albino salmon now ). I've had the pleasure and privelage of working with Wild Salmon, which is great. But to get that onto a restaurant menu these days and still make it worthwhile opening means that e50 suddenly becomes 100 or 150. And most people won't pay it, rightly or wrongly.

I see where you're going with the Oysters though, too much fuss is made about them..but as they say with Scotch Whisky (eeeuurggh from me) its all about acquired taste.

Acknowledge regarding the salmon. All has a beautiful colour as they feed them pellets which change the colour of the meat. For a while I had managed to get hold of Pacific Salmon but it was not popular since its colour was too faded and thus customers assumed not fresh enough. I finally gave up after banging my head on a wall.

Oysters. Sorry I do enjoy them. Outside of the local oysters back home I would agree with you that they do not have much flavour. Get a good cold water oyster though and they are rich and delicious.

[Bruce Rioja]

Well, all the more Dalwhinnie 15 for me then.

So help me out here. I'm rather partial to the Alaskan Red Salmon that they sell at Sainsbury's and am more than happy to pay a bit more for it, but I always thought that it's redder, and tastier, due to the breed and where it comes from. You've confused me now.

Oh, and yes, the stuff in Luxembourg was very pale.

[seanworth]

Well, all the more Dalwhinnie 15 for me then.

So help me out here. I'm rather partial to the Alaskan Red Salmon that they sell at Sainsbury's and am more than happy to pay a bit more for it, but I always thought that it's redder, and tastier, due to the breed and where it comes from. You've confused me now.

Oh, and yes, the stuff in Luxembourg was very pale.

If the Salmon is a sockeye the meat is very red in colour. Also is the best flavoured of the salmon I think. I always try to get a sockeye salmon to bring back with me to Thailand. Also I would assume that it is a wild salmon. The Norwegian salmon is mostly from farms and they feed them pellets to make the meat look most similar to the Sockeye. So if it is sockeye you are getting don't worry and enjoy. Now I don't know if Sockeye is the official name or local name we give it but do a google and you should find out.

[Lord Kangana]

Right, I've been to Asda and bought the Primitivo, pasta is on the go. William, I hope your recommendation is sound, or else there'll be bother.

[William the White]

Right, I've been to Asda and bought the Primitivo, pasta is on the go. William, I hope your recommendation is sound, or else there'll be bother.

Invite me round!!!

[TANGODANCER]

Just had Alaskan salmon, but the paler variety. Feisty bugger and put up quite a fight. Only one winner though and I got it out of the tin eventually.

[David Lee's Hair]

Well, not now but last night, was DLH's very own two spinach and lamb curry with a nice glass of rioja.

[Bruno]

Mother's chilli.

Perfecto - even some left over for lunch today

[William the White]

Cauliflower, yogurt and coriander soup with caramelised butter and chilli flakes to garnish. A Moro recipe. Delicious. Partner made.

The remains of yesterday's hotpot, which itself was the remains of sunday's lamb. Good, better the second day. I made.

Two tasty slivers. Sheep's cheese from Spain. Lancashire creamy. On wholemeal.

I'd been walking and worked up an appetite.

Primitivo from Puglia/Asda - though 2006 this time. Very good still. Italians made.

I await Lord K's verdict...

[thebish]

a box of "langues de chat" - exquisite french biscuits... (yes.. cat's tongues or rather cats' tongues, I guess...unless there is a many-tongued breed of Parisian cat)

[Lord Kangana]

Right, I've been to Asda and bought the Primitivo, pasta is on the go. William, I hope your recommendation is sound, or else there'll be bother.

Invite me round!!!

Been a bit busy (and head a bit buzzy) to reply but yes, a good recommendation William. Enjoyed it with penne/pesto/olives/sundried tomatoes and garlic. Can't go wrong for 4 quid, and a darn site of an improvement on the bilge water I last tried. Reminded me a little of Rioja/Tempranillo on the nose, hint of vanilla, no? Though if I might venture a little criticism (I'd hate to break from stereotype) I'm not overlly keen on high alcohol/tannic wines, and a couple of glasses later it started to become a bit of a "gum sticker". Still, as I say, £4 very rarely gets you a wine like that these days, so hats off. Any more reco's?

[William the White]

a box of "langues de chat" - exquisite french biscuits... (yes.. cat's tongues or rather cats' tongues, I guess...unless there is a many-tongued breed of Parisian cat)

doesn't look like a plural of cat to me, bish...