Starters

Horsey doves, my old dad calls 'em. That little nip at something nice that sharpens the senses ready for the trough ahead. There's been a recent trend in restaurants for chef to send out some sort of 'amuse bouche' before you even get stuck into the starters, which I feel I should hate with a passion but which I actually enjoy, when they work. When they don't they're just pointless. I think I understand that whole thing of looking at your mise and realising that there's a bit of this and a slip of that hanging around. So why not?

Uber-chef Alistair at Auchterarder House tends to fling out a taster as you look through the menu in the drawing room, scene of the great 'Auchterarder Incident'. Sarah sent part of hers back because it was based around a venison sausage. I noticed he'd snuck another one of those sausages into her main course: mine was the same sans sausage. I quite liked that. She was more than a match for him, spotted the offending slab of Bambi and left it. I'm not sure it didn't reappear in her dessert...

Pretty Little Things

• Beef Rendang Brochettes

Cold starters

• Pepper Custard - Did I hear a 'Yeew'? Get with it and try this recipe, because it's NICE!
• Mushroom Paté - A really good, simple starter recipe that tastes utterly magical.
• Smoked Fish Paté - Strong, creamy and really rather exquisite.

Hot starters

• Sage Derby Pots - Sticky strings of hot, bitey cheesy sauce and warm sweet potato. Immense.