Our son and his 'partner' (girlfriend really) took us out for a meal the other night. We went to a semi country hotel called the Ravensworth Arms. It was very busy for a Tuesday night, especially in these difficult financial times, I was really quite surprised.
The meal was absolutely lovely, I had venison pie, which came with a selection of veggies and mashed potatoes. it really was excellent. Freda had 'medallions' of venison, and when she told the waitress that she would prefer it 'well done', was surprised to be told that it would be quite tough and dry if it was well done.
Well, you know Freda! "And why should it be tough and dry, just because it's well done?" the waitress looked embarrassed, to say the least, "I've been cooking venison for years and it's never turned out to be tough and dry because it's well done! Perhaps you need a new chef?"
I had these lovely large Stilton drizzled mushrooms while we waited. In the event, Freda said that the venison didn't taste like venison until she got right into the middle of it, she reckoned that it had been under the grill, and it was that practice which resulted in it being, indeed, tough and dry!
Never mind, we all enjoyed what we had, even Freda, eventually. Dining in pubs that have metamorphosised into restaurants, I'm always reminded of the 'soup-in-a-basket' jibes made about social climbing, wine drinking, restaurant goers in our youth.
Derrick Brown, a friend, who is currently travelling from London to Perth Australia (by road???) sent me the following picture from (I think) Cambodia. I know it's probably the height of cruelty, but it did tickle me as an alternative to the proverbial 's-i-a-b':
The meal was absolutely lovely, I had venison pie, which came with a selection of veggies and mashed potatoes. it really was excellent. Freda had 'medallions' of venison, and when she told the waitress that she would prefer it 'well done', was surprised to be told that it would be quite tough and dry if it was well done.
Well, you know Freda! "And why should it be tough and dry, just because it's well done?" the waitress looked embarrassed, to say the least, "I've been cooking venison for years and it's never turned out to be tough and dry because it's well done! Perhaps you need a new chef?"
I had these lovely large Stilton drizzled mushrooms while we waited. In the event, Freda said that the venison didn't taste like venison until she got right into the middle of it, she reckoned that it had been under the grill, and it was that practice which resulted in it being, indeed, tough and dry!
Never mind, we all enjoyed what we had, even Freda, eventually. Dining in pubs that have metamorphosised into restaurants, I'm always reminded of the 'soup-in-a-basket' jibes made about social climbing, wine drinking, restaurant goers in our youth.
Derrick Brown, a friend, who is currently travelling from London to Perth Australia (by road???) sent me the following picture from (I think) Cambodia. I know it's probably the height of cruelty, but it did tickle me as an alternative to the proverbial 's-i-a-b':
The next Blog might be from a place called Luxor!
I expect you're back in Luxor now - we're not back until the 12th. Hope you had a nice journey back and it's good to be in your second home. If you get a chance i'd love to see a photo of the IDS school that is now in your "manor". :-)
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