Questions for Andy D
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I’ve been watching videos by a couple of chefs who run a restaurant in London called Fallow. I like their approach and I’ve learned quite a bit. Have you tried it?
Here’s a video where a guy reviews his meal at Fallow. He has quite a number of video reviews, mostly fast food and such. Is he well known in England or just a regular guy with a YouTube channel?
Link to videoHis meal included an entire codfish head served intact on a giant platter. I had no idea cod grew to this size! I’ve seen presentations like this in Mexico, but are they common in England? It looked delicious but I guarantee my wife wouldn’t have anything to do with it and would leave the table.
He kept remarking on how expensive everything was but as high end restaurants go it seemed pretty reasonable to me. Your thoughts?
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Here’s a video where the Fallow chefs prepare and rank what they say are classic British dishes. I’ve tried some but never heard of others. How common are they? Do you make them at home?
And what’s up with Stargazy pie?
Link to video
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Here Gary reviews a 82 pound ($100!) buffet! I’ve never heard of such.
It all looks fantastic! Do you guys eat like this every day?
Link to video -
A couple of questions from the vid:
Roasties. These do not exist in the US. I’ve looked at the recipes and the prep is complicated. Do you make them at home?
Yorkshire Pudding. My mom (mum?) made these. Two ways -flat in a roasting pan over beef drippings and as “popovers”, same thing but in a cast iron muffin tin. Four ingredients, devilishly difficult to get right.
Your thoughts on Yorkshire Pudding?
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Steve, I've watched the first video, (shall see the others later, got to do some diy on daughters flat)
I'm actually in London. Never been to Fallow, it's in the poshest area south of Picadilly where the king shops. For me its where i buy caps. I bought Mrs A a £300 fedora in Lock &co of St James and was looking for a hat box. Their traditional leather hatbox is... £3000.00
I got a cardboard version
You get the idea.
Fallow appears terrific value for top quality food.
We rarely eat out in Central London and now live near Durham.However my daughter and I were in a small quiet clean restaurant 2nd floor of Selfridges and paid £14 for two eggs with flatbread (delicious) 6 for a bottle of water, 4 for hot chocolate, and 6 for croissant & jam.
£33 for a lunchtime snack; worth it when seeking refuge from the Subways and Starbucks.
Fallow compares very well.Rare in UK to see fish heads. Commonly left on in Malaysia. Never seen a fish head dish but I'd love it.
As it happens we shopped Oxford Street on Monday (Barbour jumpers for me), Covent Garden yesterday (couple of Rohan jackets) and the final shopping day will be Bond St-Burlington Acade and St James area.
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@AndyD said in Questions for Andy D:
Lock &co of St James
That shop looks totally cool.
I love hats. They don't look good on me, though, so I don't wear them.
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wtg
Bates is where I'd get my caps. There's also Christies which has move to North Oxford Street where ground rent is more reasonable, so is a little less expensive.Steve
Yorkshire puddings are popular, probably rather English food though?
As children they were made for Sunday lunch. A good piece of meat, a couple of home made Yorkshire puds and 3/4 veg with onion gravey. All fresh, often seasonal from the garden, nothing from a freezer.
Puds made in a metal tray holding 12.Now I buy them in bags for the freezer along with broccoli, brussel sprouts, runner beans, mange tout etc.
Occasionally mum would make two large Yorkshires in cake tins, 3x6 and 4x8 inches which I had like a pancake with milk and sugar. Dad would have the big one of course.
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@AndyD said in Questions for Andy D:
Burlington Acade
My Mom doing some window shopping. She and I were in England for a couple of weeks in 1984.
One of my favorite finds in London on that same trip. I returned in the 90s and it looked nothing like this anymore; I was devastated.
Let's see if @AndyD knows what shop it is.
***=Answer***
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I'd agree with the ratings of the 2nd video. Stargazy and eels I've never had.
A lot depends on ingredient quality and care taken.
Within 30 minutes drive of each other, the Quarry Tea House make the best full English breakfast I've ever bought at £13, while that offered in the cafe at George Bolams Foods is rightly priced at £7.50. The difference in bread, eggs, tomato bacon is dramatic.Similarly the popular cheapish pub carvery yorkshire roast doesn't appeal to me; it's difficult to spoil the meats on offer but the veg is often awful by the time you get to eat it.
Traditional grocers/ delicatessen are quite rare now. Greengrocers even more so. London has the people and affluence to make them viable.
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Roast potatoes are truly the tastiest way to eat potatoes, even better than chips. Best when the potatoes are first chopped into smaller chunks... Mrs A can do them perfectly.
I usually microwave and then mash spuds, using butter and pepper. I actually leave the skin in the mash for a bit of healthy roughage.
