The Friday 5

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If a traveling food show were to visit your neighborhood, what are some unique, regional foods it would spotlight, and where would it go to get them?
I live in Scotland. Classic Regional Food. Anything Fried. Mars Bars??? For those of you not in UK, Mars Bar, is a chocolate covered Nougar and Caramel bar. Yes, these overly heavy chocolate treats are coated in batter and fried in this neck of the woods! As are Black Puddings, - Oatmeal and Sheeps Blood. Haggis - Sheeps Stomache filled with Offal - Pizza's, Potato Fritters. If it's food the Scot's will Fry it. You get these delicacies in any chip shop, in any Town in Scotland.

However, I am also happy to announce that my home town, Sunny Troon on the West Coast boasts several gorgeous restaurants which most definitely do not fry mars bars. In fact, majority of food not fried at all. My current Favorite: Lido, and Lido's Best Dish, according to Moi : Carpaccio Of Beef. Yummmmy.

On an American cable show, a celebrity chef surprises people by challenging them to a contest featuring their own specialties (he usually loses). If he challenged you to your specialty, what dish would you prepare? If he challenged someone you know, what would that dish be, and how might the competition turn out?
If it were me......I can turn out a pretty mean Roast Beef Dinner with Yorkshire Puddings. However, In recent weeks, I've headed for the healthy route - and my Chick Pea, Cous Cous, Bacon, Feta, Corriander, Rocket and Sultana Salad, with Home made dressing, Balsamic Vinegar, and Olive Oil, Mustard and Honey is a Bit Bloody Lovely.

If my Si were to do it.... wowser, what would he do. He can produce anything to a fantastic standard. One dish which stands out in my mind, is (yeah K) Red Wine Risotto. Looked like crap, but O M G the smell, the taste. Jees. It was gorgeous. And then of course there was the New Year Lamb Stew. Goodness that was a treat to the tastebuds. Never tasted anything quite so sweet and succulent in my life. Absolutely wonderful.

What are your feelings about cooking shows on television?

I quite like them, they inspire me to be a better person. When you consider my husband used to be a chef, I'm notoriously lazy when it comes to food preparation. If perchance my husband is not in the vicinity the kids will say "so we are having carryout to night mum! But when I see someone on the TV like James... Martin I think his name is, and he cooks something and makes it look easy and gorgeous. I feel inspired to try it. I honestly do. And for 2 days, the kids eat well.. I attach a link to the programme I see him on. I was going to link to his own web page, but to be honest I got bored with the intro, and he's not like that on Saturday kitchen!


What kitchen gadgets have you purchased because you saw someone using them on television?

I don't think I have. I watch these mad channels and smirk at the items, and then don't buy them. I went to a food show last year, and watched them doing all the demo's live, but I still wasn't inspired. When you have a husband who can chop the way mine does, you really don't need gadgets!


You get to (or have to, depending on how you feel about it) host your own food show on television. What will it be called and what’s it about?

Hel's Kitchen. tee hee.

It would have to be. Dog's don't cook.

It would be about how pathetic I am in the kitchen, and finding easy food to cook, in fast times, for mums coming in from work, who would like to give the appearance of being competant in the kitchen.