Plus.. whats all this dinner party stuff about? Do people still have dinner parties?
I do! Come on over to Newcastle, if you're ever around. Usually these recipes are for showing off, and with a competitive personality like mine, that's what I like to do. However, I don't usually serve confit of duck breast with morello cherry shiraz reduction. Well, not too often, that is.
I am actually a very excellent cook myself, so I do know how to cook well without a recipe and even if I do find something I like by Gordon or others, I know I can substitute 'bok choy' with say ordinary spinach. Much cheaper and perhaps even tastier. I don't always buy the exotic ingredients either. Sometimes, you only need one or two 'showcase' ingredients to make a splash. Usually people only want one wild dish, and the rest of the meal to be simple. For example, if I make a traditional paella for dinner, I might just add a light salad and only do a simple vanilla ice cream for dessert, to keep the meal experience focused on the paella. Just my £0.02
