chump steak

Some of you have questioned my reference to "chump" as a cut of meat. I did question the waiter, saying that the word has another meaning in America. Apparently, this meaning is not part of the British lexiocon.

They also serve faggots over here. And that has a different meaning as well.

What they prefer serving up are pies that contain various meats and vegetables. Steak and kidney pie is one of the favorites.

It's all available at the local butcher's shop on main street.

Dick Whittington

I had dinner at Dick Whittington's Pub last night. Dick Whittington and his cat are semi-folk characters first written about in 1605. The story centers on Dick, a poor boy, and his cat who go off on various adventures. The cat makes Dick rich, but does not seem to get much in return from Dick for his good deeds.

Richard Whittington was a real person, the son of a knight and himself a rich merchant in London. He served three terms as Lord mayor of London: 1397-99, 1406-07, and 1419-1420. On his death in 1423, he left his estate to charitable causes.



Dinner at the restaurant was appropriately fish and chips. I am not a fried fish fan, but this was excellent. The fish was fried whole, 14 inches in length and, amazingly filleted. There were mounds of thick English style French fries and peas on the side. The sauce was a spicy mayonaisse.

dinner at the bugle inn

The Bugle Restaurant on Park Lane in Twyford, England reopened in March 2008 after an absence of four years. Twyford is three miles south of Winchester.

The restaurant is owned and managed by its chef, Lenny Carr-Roberts. Chef Lenny and his team of locally trained restauranteurs catered for the Twyford Summer Ball Dinner. It was acclaimed as a triumph by the more than 300 residents who attended this charity event.

Thw Bugle has quickly become one of Hampshire's most recognized restaurants - a traditional pub updated with modern decor. The menu combines traditional English foods including lamb, fish cakes, and steak and ale pie, as well as, continental selections, including mussels, and lighter fare such as Caesar salad. Chef Lenny chooses locally sourced food and changes the fare daily; so look forward to a new delight with each visit.

The service is great, the food tasty, and the setting casual and relaxed. Enjoy.

a pint of tea

What is more traditional in England than a pint of tea in the afternoon?



















In this case "tea" is traditional English ale served in pint sized bottles. Brewed in Surrey, this award winning beer advertises itself as Britain's best. The brewery is Hogsback.

random thoughts

We arrived in Reims after a grueling trip though back roads from Graffigny. If you imagine the road system in France as a giant wheel with Paris as the hub and spokes stretching out to the major regions, you will get a bit of an idea of how the traffic system works. So long as you are travelling along one of the spokes, the trip is fast and quick. But, when the trip requires going from one spoke to another, it can get a little tricky. Traffic, trucks, narrow roads, rain, and confusing signs all add to the experience. Still, there can be unexpected surprises, such as our happening on Doremy, the birthplace of Joan of Arc. Then, there are the hundreds and thousands of little villages that never made it into the tour books, but possess their own charm.

Arrived in Reims tired and ready for rest. Will and I are straying at the Hotel Mercore, just off the canal and a quarter mile from the cathedral. The hotel is like a Sheraton and if you like that kind of hotel, then this is the place. One thing to keep in mind is the super highway that runs along the other side of the canal. It makes for a lot of traffic noise.

Dan and Chris -Will and I thought of you while we dined at the Cafe du Palais. It is a kitchy (is that spelled right?) place that has good local food - the Reims ham is popular - and, of course, champagne. I took some pictures and will try and upload them later.

rainy days never get me down

Even when it rains in Tuscany, there is something to do. A short drive from San Cascione brought us to one of the many small towns that dot the hillside of Tuscany.

As it was raining, we took refuge in this small restaurant run by Marco, a waitress who always wore sunglasses, and a cook who looked to be Marco's mother, who toiled over a traditional Italian oven.


The surprise is sometimes the food, which is excellent; sometimes the setting, which is old or beautiful; and sometimes the staff, who are humanly wonderful.

Our waiter, Marco, was as gracious as could be imagined. The restaurant held no more than four tables in the one room that was open, and Marco was proud to serve his limited but delicious fare. A peek in the kitchen revealed a traditional Italian grill where the food was lovingly prepared by one cook, Mama.

Eventually, the rain lets up and it is picture perfect again.

la boqueria

Barcelona's best known merkt or mercado, is located off la Rambla, in the heart of downtown Barcelona. A visit to la Rambla is itself an adventure on a Saturday night - thousands of tourists walking this way and that, more than a few pick pockets, and so many street performers. But, it was the market that we came for, since it is closed on Sunday, and we were not disappointed.



There is everything for the palate: fish, cheese, meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables, spices, wines, and then there are the bars and restaurants where one can take their selections and have them prepared.


This market is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to see rabbits and chickens skinned and displayed with head, feet, and torso. Then, there are the cow's tongues and intestines.


Give yourself plenty of time to take it all in, and, of course, plan to eat your selections at the market itself.

la asador de aranda

The reservation for dinner at la Asador de Aranda was for nine thirty. We were late as the taxi went up the hill of the fashionable Avenida Tibidado.

The taxi ride was long and for a moment we despaired, thinking that the driver had gotten the address wrong, or that the helpful hotel clerk, Veronica, had sent us off on a quest for something not as fine as we had anticipated. Then, the taxi pulled off into a side street and there rising above us was a vision of a Moorish inspired building brightly lit in the dark night.


We climbed the colorfully tilled floors of the restaurant and eyed the arched windows and timbered ceilings.

The hostess greeted us with a smile, and offered us the choice of sitting inside in the beautiful dining room or outside on the patio in the coolness of the night air. Each choice being equally as fine, we chose the patio where we were seated under an old bouganvilla vine.


For a first timer at the restaurant, the only meal to get is the house recommended dinner which consists of an appetizer plate of Spanish meats, a main course of baby lamb on the bone, and a desert of sweet Spanish liquor and a pastry.

Dining in Spain is a leisurely activity. One is seated and you talk. The waiter only comes after you have had a chance to gather yourself and admire the surroundings.

Patience is a virtue and should be practiced. Drinks come with the meal and not before as is the American custom. The servings are generous by anyone's standards and come only when the first course is completed and not one on top of the other, as so often happens in America.

Our lamb was cooked to perfection. The meat fell from the bone. The salty and sweet juice of the lamb dripped from each forkful. The desert liquor had the taste of licorice. The pastry reminded me of a Napolean.

Is it possible that each restaurant can be better than the one before.

La Asador de Aranda.

casa botin

Casa Botín: In business since 1725, la Casa is one of the world's oldest restaurants.

Andrew Zimmer enjoyed 'angulas' (baby eels), whole roast suckling pig, and baby squid in their own ink. Will has been waiting for this experience since we got to Europe.

Address: Cuchilleros 17, near Plaza Mayor
Phone: (+34) 913 664217 / 913 663026
Open Every Day

Recall Ernest Hemingway's recommendation in the Sun Also Rises, "It is one of the best restaurants in the world."