table d'Htes

[Alan]

ok does anybody have any horror stories to tell reference the evening meal.
I have just cooked boeuf en daube a lancienne. Well to be honest the meat you could sole you shoes with and went into panic mode. The guests are really great and have told me not to worry
But that is not easy as its our first season and we what everything to be 100%
It would be interesting to hear others and how they overcame there problems

[Maggiemortimer]

We stayed somewhere where the starter was lumpy, watery soup, the main course was tiny fillets of fish, with more bone than flesh, accompanied by a mixture of potatoes, olives and tinned tomatoes, and the pudding, prepared in our honour, was marmalade sponge. As I loathe potatoes, olives and marmalade, I was scuppered! Even allowing for personal taste, the portions were pathetically small and we kept each other awake that night with our tummies rumbling.
The people we were staying with were lovely, the breakfasts were superb, everything was served on Limoges porcelain - he just couldn't (and shouldn,t!) cook.
Maggie

[ckenway]

Quantity was our biggist problem. For our first meal we had English portions, 4 lamb chops lots of spuds, creamed leeks etc. People only ate half and Pat was worried she had done it wrong but it was just too much. Now we have learn't and serve smaller portions.

Fresh fruit from the garden when in season is liked we found.

We have now invested in a heated trolly which meens you can prepare food upto 2 hours in advance and avoids the last minute panic. I have to say I was a bit sceptical about using such a device put it appears to have no adverse effect on the quality of the food.

Chris

[Russethouse]

I think you might find the Elizabeth David thread interesting Alan!

Gay

[Alan]

well the guests were great , they asked us to sit and eat with them, the other 4 courses were great, i opened a few more bottles of wine and we all sat around the table until 1am talking. this morning they have booked for evening meal again tomorrow so all could not have been to bad. i think this time i will stick to something which i have cooked before

[chezlasab]

Bon Soir

Well, really, who would try out recipes they have never done before, on paying guests!!! These people are paying you to provide a decent meal. I trust you gave them a rebate. That is not going to do the reputation of the rest of us B&B people a lot of good!

Repeat after me ' I could do better' 10 times a day!

B

[les chenauds]

Our favourite cut in England was shin of beef, something which nobody else bothered to buy and we treat most French beef the same way ie. use our trusty pressure cooker. Usually longer than the instructions say. 45 minutes gives meat so tender and tasty that it falls to pieces so about 40 minutes makes for a superb meat pie. Our most popular meals with our return guests are our oxtail stew and neck of lamb stew (Lancashire hotpot?). It also comes out for globe artichokes, 18 minutes well cooked, spare ribs before roasting and for making all sorts of excellent soups. We actually have three pressure cookers just in case one breaks down.
Give one a try.