FOLLOWING BRIAN'S LEAD...

I enjoyed reading my friend Brian's list of favourite foods and wondered what would happen if I decided to do the same thing...

Well I know that Salt Beef and Latkas (or for the American market Corned Beef and potato pancakes) would be on there as would New Green or Polish Pickled Cucumbers. I guess a lot of my favourite flavours come from my Jewish background, memories of childhood - I love my grandmother's chicken soup and my aunt's chopped liver. I make both of those but I've discovered that no one's soup or liver taste the same even though we all use the same recipe, particularly when it's one handed down in a family.

One food memory reminds me of maybe '96 or '97 when Rob and I went to Cornwall and stayed in a modern four poster bed in a country house hotel in Cornwall. Neither of us can remember where exactly but it only had three or four couples staying and we were warned not to tell the others what we were paying as we'd found a special offer! The abiding memory is of the food cooked by the lady of the house, no choice of meal just - 'This is what we are having tonight, will you join us or not?' She made something I've never tasted the likes of before or since - Cointreau and Marmalade icecream made with cornish clotted icecream, it was heaven.

On the subject of icecream although chocolate is the preferred flavour, the best of these is Rocky Road from Dayville's or Baskin Robbins shops as it's full of marshmallows and whole almonds.

A late-in-life liking for olives means that my mouth waters at the thought of those stuffed with garlic cloves and - while we are on the subject of garlic - I must not forget my favourite pre-starter at our special restaurant in Cookham. We love their mixed breads and oil served with a whole large (not so large last time) garlic roasted in the oven so that you just plucked a clove and it popped all squelchy and flavoursome from it's papery covering to melt onto the bread and into one's mouth.

How can one write this without feeling ravenous? Even a guilty pleasure would do now - but McVitie's Plain Chocolate Digestives are only bought when guests are coming so I must invite someone for tea quickly.

I think that's ten - if you count the first two separate items but if it's a combined meal taste then I've room for one more, but only one sadly.

Which shall I choose? It could be Brian's choosing of Toast and Marmalade or his other one of Salted Popcorn (a vital ingredient to any movie-going) but i think it has to be a good Chinese feast of salt baked wings and duck with pancakes.

I think I've gone overboard here.....