Reply to: At least in England

[Scaroth of the Jagaroth]

And Xogg accuses me of being weird... at least I haven't got a rather unpleasant looking skin disease.

It's not my fault I got the moisturiser mixed up with the choronic acid. You try getting ready first thing in the morning with only one eye on the job. And don't even get me started on having been fractured in time.

[Scaroth of the Jagaroth]

<GOOD GOD! were not 100% Human!!!!!!!!!>

I think I knew that.... speaking personally of course.

I keep telling you, you Gorns really don't know the half of it.

[mcquiggd]

Id have to say, having spent a few months at a time in Italy while younger, and visited some of the best restaurants in France and Italy (among other countries - as my father was an advisor to the World Bank, did a lot of work abroad), I would much prefer to spend an evening meal with an Italian family, or a restaurant in Italy with friends. Its not purely the quality of the food (which I do believe is higher), but the more laid back attitude that a meal is a time to initially do business, yet relax, romance, have fun, and god knows it can last for hours!

Id still prefer a suasage or bacon sarnie over an Italian breakfast though

[Francko]

[CUT]

I love Italian and eat it regularly, but it has very little variety. I bet that 90 percent of all Italian restaurants you go into have (apart from a couple of house specials) the exact same menu. If they do pizza they will certainly do margarita, tonno, peperoni, 4 seasons and 4 cheeses and a couple of others. Then you will have a choice of pasta with gorgonzola, arabiatta and a couple of other sauces. better places will do nice sea food pasta. Then there will be scalopini and steaks with about 3 sauces. Puddings? Tiramisu, zablgioni and ice cream.[CUT]

If you were talking about italian restaurants in the UK, yes I would agree. But you are talking about italian restaurants in Italy. You lost all contact with the reality, I am afraid. What are you going to talk about next? 1966. Well, at least, I was alive and greatly enjoyed 1982.

[Phoenix]

Not 100%?

The only thing I find sad about Alf's article is that it extends the possibility that there are people out there who believe that things such as "Orange Flavoured Drinks" and anything with "Bernard Matthews" in the name aren't full of tulipe.

And Alfred!!!!!!!!! Young adult men bodies average about 55% to 60% water; women average slightly less.

GOOD GOD! were not 100% Human!!!!!!!!!

Phoenix in "I can't believe it's not butter" mode

[The Lone Gunman]

Lone gunman

I'm not contesting that there aren't some superb british dishes/cheeses. Just not enough for people to have a diet solely based on UK recipes.

Italian food gets the nod above spanish because in just about everything (except ham!) because they seem to have spent so much time thinking about the food to get something that can be very simple but very tasty.

Dont get me wrong, I am not saying that other countries food is bad, I am saying that British food is as good as any where. There is enough for people to live well on solely UK food without getting bored.

I love Italian and eat it regularly, but it has very little variety. I bet that 90 percent of all Italian restaurants you go into have (apart from a couple of house specials) the exact same menu. If they do pizza they will certainly do margarita, tonno, peperoni, 4 seasons and 4 cheeses and a couple of others. Then you will have a choice of pasta with gorgonzola, arabiatta and a couple of other sauces. better places will do nice sea food pasta. Then there will be scalopini and steaks with about 3 sauces. Puddings? Tiramisu, zablgioni and ice cream.
Every single place is the same. I love Italian food. I have spent many wonderful weekends exploring Italy. I have even tried a number of specialities that you dont find because a friends wife used to cook lunches at a stand up cafe that we went to every day.

That stacks up to the standard British stuff in my opinion on a fairly equal footing.

You only start getting any real variation when you start going French, but that is mostly in the sauces anyway. It is still grilled or roast meat and sauce when all said and done.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Oh well, spanish ham is good but italian ham has a larger selection. They are just not known to the general public. And hundreds of type of sausages. And the best dish in the world which you probably are not aware of, is Porchetta, made with smoked pork. Can't tell you why but if you have a good one it's the end of the world.

Aye Franco

There was a wee delicatessan near where I lived in Trastevere in Rome and it sold the most wonderful ham I have ever tasted.

The couple that ran the shop used to allways give me free samples of tasty food and would be delighted to see my glowing reaction to their superb food , the couple were from Tuscany.

Ah, so much great food in Roma, you must miss it Francko.

BTW went shopping at lunch time in our local supermarket here in BelleBum and was given a free glass of some new version of Smirnoff , with a hearty Nastrovia , I downed it one.

Nice.

Brighens up an otherwise dull afternoon in the office ...

[Antman]

Some Spanish jamon is cured for up to 3 years. Come on, there are only about 20 different cheeses in Spain, but you can't touch the jamon

I liked the "sanguinace"(sp?) I tried in Sicily but like morcilla/black pudding

[Lucifer Box]

The only thing I find sad about Alf's article is that it extends the possibility that there are people out there who believe that things such as "Orange Flavoured Drinks" and anything with "Bernard Matthews" in the name aren't full of tulipe.

[Francko]

Lone gunman

I'm not contesting that there aren't some superb british dishes/cheeses. Just not enough for people to have a diet solely based on UK recipes.

Italian food gets the nod above spanish because in just about everything (except ham!)[...]

Oh well, spanish ham is good but italian ham has a larger selection. They are just not known to the general public. And hundreds of type of sausages. And the best dish in the world which you probably are not aware of, is Porchetta, made with smoked pork. Can't tell you why but if you have a good one it's the end of the world.

[Antman]

Italian food is the best

Lone gunman

I'm not contesting that there aren't some superb british dishes/cheeses. Just not enough for people to have a diet solely based on UK recipes.

Italian food gets the nod above spanish because in just about everything (except ham!) because they seem to have spent so much time thinking about the food to get something that can be very simple but very tasty.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Back on thread ... form the mirror online

YES, IT HAS NO BANANAS!

THE FOOD THAT ISN'T ALL IT SEEMS TO BE


By Matt Roper

YOU'RE thirsty, in a hurry and grab a refreshing banana milkshake from the chiller cabinet in your local shop.

You guzzle it down, feeling pleased with yourself for making a healthy choice by choosing a fruit drink.

But then you look at the label and realise that you've slipped up - your so-called banana milkshake has never been near a real banana.

Scarily, this is the case with many of our everyday processed foods.

A report yesterday revealed that many top varieties of ham contain more than a third of their weight in added water. The worst-offending brand being Ye Olde Oak.

Often fruit yoghurt has virtually no fruit in it, while certain brands of orange juice are only 10 per cent orange. And, ironically, cheese flavoured corn chips contain meat, yet beef flavour crisps don't.


The Mirror's nutritional expert, Angela Dowden says: "Names and descriptions on food are often deliberately meant to mislead. You have to look more closely at the labels to see exactly what you're getting."


Here, Angela picks out some of the worst culprits...


FRIJJ FRESH THICK BANANA FLAVOURED MILKSHAKE


Banana content: zero


IT tastes of bananas and smells of bananas, but is fruit-free.


Angela's verdict: "It's all artificial, there's no real fruit. It's a low calorie high calcium drink, although the colour comes from beta carotene - a natural pigment found in orange/yellow veg.


"Making your own by whizzing skimmed milk with a real banana would be so much better - and count as a fruit portion."


BERNARD MATTHEWS WAFER THIN TURKEY


Turkey content: 60 per cent


A FAVOURITE with weight-watchers, but the reason this "turkey ham" is so low in calories is that it's over one third water.


Angela's verdict: "To keep so much water inside while also giving a decent flavour requires a host of additives, including stabilisers, flavourings, milk proteins, potato starch and yeast extract.


"None of these have any ill effects, but the same can't be said for its salt content. This contains three-quarters of your safe daily limit per 180g pack."


RICHMOND FRESH THICK SAUSAGES


Pork content: 41 per cent


THERE'S a good reason why the word "pork" is missing from the front of this packet of bangers...


Angela's verdict: "With just 41 per cent pork meat they're not legally allowed to be called 'pork' sausages. They also contain 10 per cent pork fat, plus rusk, potato starch and soya protein to bulk them out. With so little pork you'll get less protein, vitamin B1 and iron."


BERNARD MATTHEWS JETTERS


Turkey content: 27 per cent


THESE are shaped and packaged to appeal to youngsters, but take a closer look at the label before putting them in your shopping trolley.


Angela's verdict: "Turkey only makes up 39 per cent of these Jetters - in comparison, Bird's Eye Chicken Dippers are 52 per cent chicken. They also contain 22 per cent fat, which makes them nearly twice as greasy, mouthful for mouthful, as McDonald's fries."


CAPRI-SUN ORANGE JUICE DRINK


Orange juice content: 10 per cent


IT says "made with natural juice" in big letters on the back - and just how little in tiny letters below.


Angela's verdict: "Add the word 'drink' after orange juice, and you can make any kind of low-grade soft drink with any number of additives and as little as five per cent juice - or even less.


"This is basically a fancily-packaged version of a diluted high juice fruit squash - and the full sugar version to boot.


"You also miss out on all the other benefits of drinking pure orange juice - folic acid and flavonoids, for example, which can help keep the heart healthy."


DORITO'S TANGY CHEESE FLAVOUR CORN CHIPS


Cheese content: Trace


ACCORDING to the label, these Dorito corn chips are "now even cheesier", but a closer look at the label reveals this bag to be a virtually cheese-free zone.


Angela's verdict: "The 'cheesiness' comes from the flavour enhancers monosodium glutamate and disodium 5'-ribonucleotide, plus an unknown dose of cheese powder - a highly processed ingredient that may itself only contain a small proportion of real cheese.


"According to the Hyperactive Children's Support group you shouldn't give any of these additives to your kids if you suspect that certain foods affect their behaviour.


"And although you might expect cheese flavoured snacks to be vegetarian, these aren't."


BERTOLLI OLIVE OIL SPREAD


Olive oil content: 21 per cent


OLIVE oil is meant to be good for your heart, but this healthy-sounding spread is not all it is cracked up to be...


Angela's verdict: "This product trades on olive oil's healthy reputation for helping to lower cholesterol and look after your heart.


"But most of the healthy monounsaturates contained in this particular spread actually come from cheaper rapeseed oil.


"This is still a fairly healthy product compared to other popular spreads."


WALKERS BEEF AND ONION CRISPS


Beef content: zero


VEGGIES will steer well clear of anything with the word "beef" on the packet, but they can actually tuck into these crisps with a clear conscience.


Angela's verdict: "The beef 'flavour' is just that - it comes from added monosodium glutamate and processed soya, plus a sprinkle of paprika to make the crisps look "beefy" too.


"You can eat most chicken and smoky bacon crisps if you are vegetarian, too. But do check some of the upmarket ranges which might contain real meat derivatives.


"Walkers Sensations Chicken And Thyme Variety, for example, contains "chicken powder" and the lamb and mint one has lamb powder."


ASDA WAFER THIN COOKED HAM


Pork content: 78 per cent


IT looks light and delicious, but a closer look at the ingredients list shows this is only around three-quarters pork.


Angela's verdict: "The rest is water, stabilisers, preservative and salt. It makes a low-fat, low calorie sandwich filling, but going for tuna or cold chicken instead will mean you are eating less additives.


"Dry cure hams don't have added water, but will still have high salt and preservatives."


YOPLAIT WILDLIFE YO-TO-GO YOGHURT POUCHES (STRAWBERRY)


Strawberry content: 2 per cent


DESPITE the picture on the front, these snacks contain virtually no strawberries.


Angela's verdict: "All yoghurts, are a good source of calcium. But if you expect a decent amount of fruit content in these, you'll be disappointed.


"They contain hardly any whole fruit at all - they rely on added strawberry flavour, plus a splurge of pink colour from beetroot and other plant pigments.


"It's all down to wording - a 'strawberry' yoghurt must, by law, contain real fruit, but a 'strawberry flavoured' one doesn't have to."

[Lucifer Box]

Anyone tried lavabread?

I tried to exfoliate with it. It seemed pretty good at that.

[Francko]

Give me Stilton and strong

Oh btw, I have been forbidden to use stilton for my gnocchi since Chef Franco prepared his missus Gnocchi with Gorgonzola instead of Stilton.

Franco in "Italy can be a lot of bad things but don't mention the food"

[Joe Black]

For some reason, the Femmes De Joie on the afternoon shift are the most attractive , unsure as to why ...oh damn ...

B*gger, the only ones I've seen so far are the ones working either early in the morning or late at night...

You don't have any pictures Alf?...you know...to show what I'm missing...


Edit: In case you do get a pay rise above that fiver a day, before you spend your extra dosh you might like to check who's flavour of the month