For those Interested, etc todays menu:

[merciasounds]

Chicken liver pate with port, melba toasts, salad garnish
OR
Farmhouse cheddar and red onion chutney bites
OR
Cream of herb soup

Meatballs with spaghetti - tasty meatballs made with best minced steak, onion, a touch of garlic and fresh thyme, in a rich roasted tomato sauce with red wine, basil, and garlic.
OR
Seafood Paella, saffron rice with prawns, mussels, squid and scallops
OR
Chicken and ham pie - chunks of chicken breast meat, and smoked ham in a creamy sauce topped with golden flaky pastry, served with potatoes of choice (Handcut chips, new boiled, jacket) peas

For a light /veggiebite - Baby leek and cheese tart, new potatoes, homemade coleslaw

Cherry pie ice cream/cream/custard
OR
banana splits
OR
Brandy snap baskets filled with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce, chocolate flake

17 cheeses, crackers, grapes celery

Coffee/liqueur coffee

GALLONS of cold wine - white and rose - red breathing!!

[mazie]

mercia, do you make your own ice cream?

[pastafreak]

It's summer!!
Any of these would do me fine...

http://www.jamieolive...recipes/salad-recipes

[merciasounds]

yes maise I do, pints and pints of the stuff, all flavours!!

[Greedyfly]

Wish I worked for Sony music - lol, would be a dream come true to work for a record company

[mazie]

Oh good. I bought an ice cream maker a couple of months ago and have been trying a few recipes.....I've made a few which I think are a little different but I'm looking for some ideas....any suggestions would be gratefully received mercia

[merciasounds]

Exactly Ummmm, so perhaps can you tell me why - and I've asked her myself to no avail, why does pastafreak think my food fancy? - I said it's basic stuff, pies, pasties, deep fried fish, chicken, steaks, curries, lasgane etc. She's challenged me to come up with a more 'basic' menu ona more 'realistic' budget - but i won't because if I say right , go to aldi and get two of their gammon steaks for £1.89, she'll say well not everyone has a Aldi near them - If I say i got a bargain at Morrisons as it was late sunday evening - i got a small ripe pineapple, two mangoes and some bananas, two lemon and two limes for £1.34 she'll say 'not everyone will be able to shop late at night. so i can't win.
All i want to do is jog somebodies memories into thinking, oh yeah, lasagne - great, i'll do one tonight! now it doesn't matter to me if you use homemade sauce and best steak, or cheap mince and a tin of tomatoes - it's what the individual wants

[merciasounds]

here you go Maise - whether you use an ice cream maker or do it the hard way, this is a great site for recipes and ideas!

http://www.razzledazz...cecream/countetop.htm

[merciasounds]

sorry mazie, not maise! go on, tell me there's not a flavour you like there!!

[mazie]

Fab. Thanks mercia x

[mazie]

I've made a few that the family love and I cant keep up with them. Ferrero Rocher, Drambuie with Hazelnut and Rum and raisin seem to be the favourites at the moment. I'm going to have a go at Turkish delight ice cream tomorrow. I really fancy something with cinnamon in but not sure what to put with it,. so that website will be ideal. Thanks again x

[ttfn]

mercia you have transported me back decades to my mum teaching me to make ginger snaps - waiting for the mixture to cool enough to wrap around the wooden spoon handle - the first was a disaster - not enough room to put a cherry in it let alone hold cream!

[pastafreak]

Fancy may not be the correct word mercia.
Let's just say-if I were to go to a restaurant, and saw your menu...there would be very little that I wanted. I find it way too heavy...too much emphasis on cream,pastry and fried foods. And very little fish. Everything seems to have a sauce.
This is not how a lot of people cook...and I think part of the reason why some on here are put off.
also...you seem to want to interpret my request as meaning the cheapest food....no I mean quality that is affordable.......17 cheeses just looks like showing off.

if you ARE doing market research...please consider that some may make choices only because thats all that is on offer......you may get a better feel for things with some totally different menus.

[merciasounds]

You're very welcome mazie - apple is lovely with cinnamon, and I've made a cinnamon fudge one before now!!

[AB Editor]

Afternoon everyone.

Not sure why anyone would have a problem with these Menus.

Doc, you need to stop being a bully. What you call "proper food" is quite different to what others, myself included, call "proper food" - and If a pie isn't proper food, even on your terms, I am not sure what is!

Anyway, lighten up everybody! Do all of you go an complain when the raffle opens for the Mad-Over-50s Club? or when JJ opens the bar: http://www.theanswerb...k/Question693557.html ? No? Put in your order then!



All the best,

Spare Ed


PS. The only real criticism I have is that we don't get a full list of cheeses.

[ttfn]

^ginger = brandy! Not been well you know.

Soup please followed by the leek and cheese tart and coffee - thank you

[merciasounds]

Fried foods pastafreak? I deep fry fish once a week, maybe offer a deep fried mushroom or cheese starter, and make chips maybe twice, you apart, and I've worked in restaurants, factory canteens and cafes, people like chips. 3/4 of people will choose chips over any other type of potato offered

[Greedyfly]

You tell em Ed!

[ttfn]

Right said Ed ................... couldn't agree more on the cheeses though mercia!

[joeluke]

Sample menu for those who don't like their food so 'fancy' or are on a budget

Soup of the day with crusty roll
Soup left over from yesterday with stale roll
Soup left over from last week with mouldy roll



Egg with chips
Sausage with chips
Burger with chips
Chips with chips (vegetarian option)

All served with baked beans (value brand)


Fruit cocktail (tinned)
Jelly and Ice cream (vanilla only)


Ritz crackers


Coffee or tea with a Custard Cream (to dunk)


Small glass of wine from a £2.99 bottle found in the bargain bin


Enjoy!

[ummmm]

I'm not a fan of chips. I don't eat sausages either...