A quick posting to indicate that Route79 is still online. Apologies in advance to non-drinkers, vegetarians and people not aware of Delia Smith:
1. I’ve noticed that several brands of Spanish Rioja wine are top-sealed with a metal foil which has the word “Rioja” embossed on the top of the cork. The letter “o” in the word “Rioja” is an excellent targeting point for the corkscrew used to open the bottle – as it results in a dead-centre piercing for the cork – which subsequently comes out perfectly flush.
2. Chicken: I still haven’t figured out why “breast” chicken meat in the UK is the most expensive cut given it is the most blandest, tasteless and horribly-textured part of the chicken. Not complaining though.
3. Delia Smith was once a heroine of the people when it came to educating the masses in British cooking. I can see exactly why her demise in the last decade has led to her occupying obscure spots in the UK TV Food channel schedule: last night’s late-night showing had her cooking up some mushroom risotto – where the main ingredient was chanterelle mushrooms. Now where on earth in suburban London can you find chanterelle mushrooms? Neither Safeway/Morrisons, Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury’s carry this variety of mushrooms. And you’d be hard pushed to find them at your high street grocer too. I get the feeling that she is focussing on being seen to cook stuff rather than actually helping/inspiring people to do so. Even the Two Fat Ladies show is more practical – despite their upper-class stuffiness.