The Fat Apology
Good news for the 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, who went down with food poisoning in January-February this year as a result of eating oysters contaminated with sewage.
They have now (some 7/8 months after the event, and following on from a critical report issued by health investigators) been offered a free meal.
Blumenthal has written to affected diners apologising for the "bad experience".
It is surprising that he took so long to make such an offer.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Keith Floyd Dies
Keith Floyd Dies
I am sorry to read that Keith Floyd died yesterday from heart failure.
His obituary, as per the BBC, can be viewed here Keith Floyd.
I am sorry to read that Keith Floyd died yesterday from heart failure.
His obituary, as per the BBC, can be viewed here Keith Floyd.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Brighton Food Festival
The Brighton Food Festival
Brighton and Hove are hosting a month long Food and Drink Festival, this September.
I took the opportunity to wander through the festival market on New Road and Jubilee Road (which ran this weekend). It was lively and contained a veritable smorgasbord of stalls offering a fine array of food and drink; oysters, sausages, cheeses, bread, vegetables, Mediterranean cuisines, Thai cuisine, and cakes etc. There was even a live cooking demonstration.
However, I would like to make two observations:
- the prices charged by some stalls were over the top; eg £5 for a container of rice and chicken soon breaks the budget if there are several in the family, and £1.50 for basil in a pot (which could be bought in the nearby supermarket for 69p) was "taking the piss".
- At one point in the street the stalls, on opposite sides of the street, were placed too close together, thus causing a very slow moving traffic jam of people who were unable to pass by and could not easily access (or even view) the stalls in that area.
Brighton and Hove are hosting a month long Food and Drink Festival, this September.
I took the opportunity to wander through the festival market on New Road and Jubilee Road (which ran this weekend). It was lively and contained a veritable smorgasbord of stalls offering a fine array of food and drink; oysters, sausages, cheeses, bread, vegetables, Mediterranean cuisines, Thai cuisine, and cakes etc. There was even a live cooking demonstration.
However, I would like to make two observations:
- the prices charged by some stalls were over the top; eg £5 for a container of rice and chicken soon breaks the budget if there are several in the family, and £1.50 for basil in a pot (which could be bought in the nearby supermarket for 69p) was "taking the piss".
- At one point in the street the stalls, on opposite sides of the street, were placed too close together, thus causing a very slow moving traffic jam of people who were unable to pass by and could not easily access (or even view) the stalls in that area.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Fat Duck Food Poisoning
Fat Duck Food Poisoning
It seems that the much publicised food poisoning outbreak that caused illness to more than 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, in Berkshire, was probably caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage.
Inspectors from the Health Protection Agency have released a report that highlights the probable cause, and criticises the food safety standards in the kitchens.
Sick staff continued to work and handle the shellfish. Unsuitable products were also said to have been used to clean kitchen surfaces.
The HPA stated:
"Oysters were served raw; razor clams may not have been appropriately handled or cooked; tracing of shellfish to source showed evidence of contamination and there have been reports of illness in other establishments associated with oysters from the same source."
It seems that the much publicised food poisoning outbreak that caused illness to more than 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, in Berkshire, was probably caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage.
Inspectors from the Health Protection Agency have released a report that highlights the probable cause, and criticises the food safety standards in the kitchens.
Sick staff continued to work and handle the shellfish. Unsuitable products were also said to have been used to clean kitchen surfaces.
The HPA stated:
"Oysters were served raw; razor clams may not have been appropriately handled or cooked; tracing of shellfish to source showed evidence of contamination and there have been reports of illness in other establishments associated with oysters from the same source."
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