The mother of all essential desserts

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm really taken with frenchie's caff, the menu sounds really delicious. Not that I'm often in Bristol but I've made a note ........ Not No. 1 fan of ice cream either, the saffron sounds good, I really like cardomon icecream. I prefer an Eton Mess thingy with raspberries rather than strawberries (raspberries are a far superior and tastier fruit)

I agree, Anna.

That would be a Rasberry Pavlova prior to demolition, wouldn't it?

[Anna]

That would be a Rasberry Pavlova prior to demolition, wouldn't it?

Actually, Eton Mess is a perfect opportunity to charge punters a large amount of money for all the meringue bases that go wrong in the cooking! Smash 'em up and charge double!

[Serial_Apologist]

Actually, Eton Mess is a perfect opportunity to charge punters a large amount of money for all the meringue bases that go wrong in the cooking! Smash 'em up and charge double!

I had to make sure it was meringue - it could have been ceiling plaster shaken adrift by vibrations from the upstairs disco.

I was taken to this restaurant at the age of 8.
"What's this 'Lemon Merringwe Pie' it says here, mum?"
"It's pronounced MIRRANG, dear".

[french frank]

I'm really taken with frenchie's caff, the menu sounds really delicious. Not that I'm often in Bristol but I've made a note ........

Don't forget to call in on me - I'm a stone's throw away

I wondered why they'd stopped sending their emails, but now I've discovered their Facebook page there's no need. The kookoo (which the caff is named after) is a Persian oven-baked omelette which comes out a bit like a sponge cake and is cut into wedges and served with salad and Persian tea - which is delicious. On Sundays they often have freshly cooked kebabs - barbecued outside in the back yard, under an umbrella when it's raining, and served with saffron rice. They also have poetry reading evenings, or Iranian music. It's so small and unprepossessing from the outside but it's a real cultural education.

[Nick Armstrong]

Actually, Eton Mess is a perfect opportunity to charge punters a large amount of money for all the meringue bases that go wrong in the cooking! Smash 'em up and charge double!

[amateur51]

Don't forget to call in on me - I'm a stone's throw away

I wondered why they'd stopped sending their emails, but now I've discovered their Facebook page there's no need. The kookoo (which the caff is named after) is a Persian oven-baked omelette which comes out a bit like a sponge cake and is cut into wedges and served with salad and Persian tea - which is delicious. On Sundays they often have freshly cooked kebabs - barbecued outside in the back yard, under an umbrella when it's raining, and served with saffron rice. They also have poetry reading evenings, or Iranian music. It's so small and unprepossessing from the outside but it's a real cultural education.

Sounds great, french frank.

I'm on the phone now with a company called Caliban Charabancs checking the cost of a booking to Bristle. The man who answered appears to be pre-occupied

I agree with Anna about the superioity of raspberries over almost all strawbs.

I thought that Eton Mess was an observation about Call Me Dave's cabinet?

[Nick Armstrong]

Sounds great, french frank.

I'm on the phone now with a company called Caliban Charabancs checking the cost of a booking to Bristle. The man who answered appears to be pre-occupied

I agree with Anna about the superioity of raspberries over almost all strawbs.

I thought that Eton Mess was an observation about Call Me Dave's cabinet?

All aboard, hold tight please!!

[Lateralthinking1]

Is that meringue, Caliban?

When I was working is this 4-star hotel in Zurich in the 60s, we served this meringue speciality called Bombe Glace Vesuvius, which (from memory) consisted of either fresh strawberries or raspberries encased in ice cream, surrounded by sponge cake, and overlaid with meringue, shaped into a rising cone, with a dip in the top - to resemble a volcano's crater, into which some kind of Schnapps or liqueur was poured after the thing had been baked, immediately prior to serving, and then ignited.

The occasion I am about to describe was a special business function. Picture if you will a dining room full of dour-faced late middle-aged Swiss businessmen. The dessert course arrived, most of the waiters being charged with triumphantly carrying the "erupting" desserts aloft on large oval silver flats to the tables, while I was instructed to follow up serving whipped cream. For this I had to squeeze between the rows of tables, lean forward with the large silver sauce boat of cream, and ask each customer in turn, "Schlagrahm gern?". If he replied "Ja bitte" I would ladel a generous dollop of the stuff from the sauce boat onto the plate. All this was conducted in the soberest of silence. One of the customers, was totally bald. Unfortunately, careful as I tried to be, a large splodge of this cream landed right on top of his head - for all the world resembling a large white onion! At first, he sort of looked skywards, then very tentatively raised one hand to touch it. Now, to the credit of the assembled clientele, they did all burst out in hysterical laughter. As did I! I had to dash around and hide in a corner. Unfortunately Herr Peters, the German head waiter, did not see the joke at all. "You sink zet is funny, huh? It is not at all funny, and you heff schpilt cream all down the back of ze man's jecket! Go and get his jecket!"



One never ever forgets something like that. I have one or two other stories about that time to tell, if the subject seems appropriate.

Brilliant. I am now thinking gravy and Boris Johnson. Any opportunities I wonder?

[teamsaint]

FF's cafe sounds fab.
If I can wangle some expenses I might pop in for lunch one day !!

So, probably not, sadly !!

[amateur51]

I've noticed a distinct lack of enthusiasm for those old-fashioned British milky delights such as rice pudding, ground rice pudding, sago pudding, etc. I love them all & they are so adaptable.

And what about junket?

[Mary Chambers]

I've noticed a distinct lack of enthusiasm for those old-fashioned British milky delights such as rice pudding, ground rice pudding, sago pudding, etc. I love them all & they are so adaptable.

And what about junket?

So do I. I make rice pudding if I have too much milk. It's dead easy.

Junket was quite nice, but I haven't had it for about a century It was quite rare even then.

[amateur51]

So do I. I make rice pudding if I have too much milk. It's dead easy.

Junket was quite nice, but I haven't had it for about a century It was quite rare even then.

They call it panna cotta now Mary but we know

[Anna]

And what about junket?

It's not ethical and, even before it was ethical, it was probably horrible. I do actually like home made rice pudding, heavy on the nutmeg and thick of the skin. There is something called Blancmange, I don't know about that, it seems we are going back to Victorian nursery foods? Give me a Greek thick yoghurt anytime!

[amateur51]

It's not ethical and, even before it was ethical, it was probably horrible. I do actually like home made rice pudding, heavy on the nutmeg and thick of the skin. There is something called Blancmange, I don't know about that, it seems we are going back to Victorian nursery foods?

I'll have to take your word for that Anna, it was before my time

[Nick Armstrong]

They call it panna cotta now

I love panna cotta, especially if there are loads of vanilla seeds in it. (Is it really the same as junket?)

Same goes for rice pudding.

Basically I love anything with lots of real vanilla in it.

Give me a bowl of real home-made custard with plenty of real vanilla, I'll be a happy bunny and keep quiet for ages!