ROBUST discussion

Y'all are cordially invited to lunch with Andre. This is the dessert: Tunisian Orange Cake with Stewed Whole Plum. Here's the rest of the menu

Seconds, please.

That was the seconds!

Kench

Sorry I didn't get to lunch, Andre, but I was out with the kids enjoying kimbap, Korean sweetcakes and other Korean delicacies to celebrate Korean National Day (which isn't until Wednesday, but today is a holiday here so expats celebrated early). My children eat kimbap (Korean suchi) like most kids eat chocolate. I wish I could make it without making an unholy mess of it!

I never had much faith in the British political concept of "multiculturalism" though, admittedly, I was probably biased because I had my own earlier version, which consisted of liking people of all colours if they were intelligent and amusing, and disliking them, regardless of their colour or the political correctness of my actions, if they were dull or sullen or obstructive. I often noted that people whom I consistently found dull and sullen and obstructive were those most likely to have food I was never tempted to cook, and those who were intelligent and bright and amusing had all the recipes I wanted to emulate.

The world is really a very logical place, if you just put your mind to discovering cause and effect. And food is the most logical mode of expression -- artform -- of all.

I suspect that Andre would not be tempted to emulate the food I cook. Though I did make a mean Frittata yesterday, and a scrumptious pulled pork, cooked all day until falling apart. That's a lot of cooking for me.

Thanks for sharing, that, Andre. If I'm ever in Cork...

I picked up some carry-out. Does that count for anything?

Sharon wrote: "Thanks for sharing, that, Andre. If I'm ever in Cork..."

Look forward to it.

Andre Jute wrote: "I never had much faith in the British political concept of "multiculturalism" though, admittedly, I was probably biased because I had my own earlier version, which consisted of liking people of all..."

Hmm, not sure how to take that answer, Andre, but I'm not going to think about it too hard.

Prawns, sea bass, buttered parsnips? Aargh. I'm about to take a bite out of my laptop screen.

Be sure to floss.

Kench, Patricia!

Wise decision, Katie...

Katie wrote: "Hmm, not sure how to take that answer, Andre, but I'm not going to think about it too hard."

Oh well, It made sense to me. When I said it.

It made sense, Andre. I just couldn't work out whether or not you would want to cook Korean food...the answer would have great implications.

Ah. Sure, I have cooked Korean food. As a Korean girl who stayed with friends confided in my wife, "Andre giggles good."

There! Did it! Kimbap, anyone?

I'm afraid to taste it. Anything raw in that?

Katie wrote: "There! Did it! Kimbap, anyone?"

Yes, please. That looks as good as the food at the Marks & Spencer, where Roz and I sometimes buy lunch and eat it beside the river when our fave restaurant is full.

Good job, Katie!

Patricia, no, there's nothing raw in it. That's the difference between kimbap and sushi. There's no raw fish in kimbap (or rice vinegar or wasabe). But there is egg and blanched vegetables and -in these ones- crab meat (but you can us ham or anything you like really).

I'll take the crab meat ones, please.

My Korean friend makes them with hotdog instead of raw fish. I'll stuff myself on her food any day!

"I never had much faith in the British political concept of "multiculturalism"" - Andre

Really? Multicultralism is British???? I thought it was invented in California and forced down the throat of Americans exclusively.

I perfer 'Melting Pot' which means you get to take the best of every culture and still keep your own.

The British don't like admitting that even their worst ideas came from across the Atlantic. There's a curious undercurrent of anti-Americanism among the chattering classes in the UK, both on the left and the right of the centre.

The melting pot is what happens naturally. Multiculturalism is the left trying to enforce it and speed it up, and as result giving it such a bad rep that people went off it. Osama bin Laden, by his lonesome, just about gave multiculturalism, as a political idea rather than a humanist one of curiosity and tolerance until threatened, the kiss of death.

He's the perfect person to blame it on - may he have sickened the sharks that ate him.