London Pub Informant

Haggis

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 06:06:45 GMT

So is it "eaters" or is it "haters", because you wrote "heaters"?

clemence

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:58:52 GMT

Fran�ois-Xavier where are you? Miss your blog, hope you are well. Love it all! Makes me so hungry and inspired

fx

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:22:50 GMT

Yes the Seven Stars was fun and we visited other really nice historical pubs that night. The less you know about how black pudding is made, the more you"ll like it...

Tisiphone

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:38:59 GMT

FX I just discovered you today!!! By looking for a garlic soup recipe I found recipes for a lot of favourites from my time in Switzerland and it"s made me VERY HAPPY.

So I"m glad you had a good time at the Seven Stars. It was my favourite watering hole when I was at law school round the corner.

Clearly you area man of discernment and taste so you will probably come round to black puddings in the end ;-)

Loving the recipes...thanks.

Marlene

Sun, 2 Aug 2009 05:41:20 GMT

I am totally interested in the lesser known pub foods of England. Please do let us know when you partake to make or please share those items mentioned. Lately I"ve learned of jellied eels and bubble and squeak.

parshu narayanan

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:01:28 GMT

After this tipsy evening at the pub, "fess up FX - WHO is ur significant other? can we see some pix??:-)

fx

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:31:42 GMT

Well done Nicole, two marriage proposals in one night is good for a beginner!

Nicole

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:19:22 GMT

Hi FX, I love your website! I just wanted to drop by and let you know that I made your home made lasagna for some friends and it was SO GOOD that I got not one but two marriage proposals that night! :)

fx

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:54:26 GMT

Thanks Avy for your appreciation!

Avy

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:27:22 GMT

Hi FX, I am a regular reader of your site. It"s addictive - the ultimate "feel like I"m there" experience. I will continue to visit, read, and feel like I"m at wherever you are. Thanks and regards Avy :)

fx

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:20:39 GMT

Yes it was a tax collector in Roman times, still is nowadays in a way, since most of a pint of beer is ... tax.

fx

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:19:50 GMT

Stephen this is so nice of you to say - thank you! I am really glad my website helped you find some fun activities to do with your family in the Old Country, I only wish to go back to Sicily a second time, so much to see over there!

fx

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:16:35 GMT

Yes I have a couple books about them British ciders too, but haven"t visited yet. Muuuuch better than German ciders, but they still have some way to come before matching really good French ciders.

fx

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:15:25 GMT

Thanks Angela, I"m glad you appreciate this little piece! I have seen that your photography is improving, what light are you using now?

Angela

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:59:49 GMT

That"s hilarious about the black pudding! What a terrific post. I love the dialogue you included and the photos are brilliant. They really give you a sense of the place.

Cris

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:20:22 GMT

Another place to visit next time I go to London.Did you try scrumpy,proper cider, from sommerset?.It"s delicious.

Stephen Giannetti

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:18:06 GMT

Dear Fran�ois-Xavier: We look forward to all of your emails, especially your travels. I find your "tastes" follow ours and are an inspiration for many dinners we share with our friends. Now that you are sharing your travels, it helps us to plan our own future travels. I hope you realize the wonderful influence that you have on peoples lives. Thank you for sharing your experiences. It was through you that we discovered the charming and talented Eleonora Consoli and were able to arrange dinner with her in her home in Sicily for our family of 12.

Graci!!

Zeashan

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:25:38 GMT

I think a Publican is a tax collector my friend. It"s also the name of a restaurant in Chicago :). Good to see you posting again.

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:02:39 GMT

Oh but I was not drunk in the least, only managed to drink about a third of a pint at each of the three pubs!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:01:25 GMT

I will try and visit the pubs you recommend, but this was not a list of must-visit pubs in London, just a report about a fun meeting with a reader who chose the locale. Japanese eels might taste a lot better than British jellied eels, but that"s prejudice speaking!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:59:40 GMT

Yes, and they keep collecting tax on alcohol on behalf of the government!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:59:07 GMT

Yes, those pics at 3200 ISO are really stretching the limits of what cameras can do today, better use flash!

W.C.

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:57:54 GMT

Francois - Great little article. I have to compliment you on your photographic skills. Those interior, low-light shots are a challenge. Thank you for not shying away from these shots. For me, they add so much to your work.

All the best,
W.C.
New York

Marian

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:37:50 GMT

About "publican", which you define as a Roman term for a person selling beer: Actually, when the Romans used that word they meant a tax collector (from publicum, meaning the public revenue). In English, it came to be connected with the keeper of a public house in the early 18th Century.

Mami

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:59:49 GMT

What a fun article ! :)

I"d have added a few more pubs - the one in the city behind Royal Exchange building, it"s a really nice pub after work. Another one is The Guinea in Mayfair, where the Queen had a pint herself & until a few years ago, they still had proper English barman/maid serving (not anymore though....). The Dove Inn in Hammersmith is lovely in sunny days, right by the river & real traditional historical pub dating back to 17th century or so.

I love eel (you got to try Japanese eel if not yet tasted - deliciously cooked!) but must say that I"m not keen on jellied eels either (tried Tubby Isaacs"s years ago).

Thanks for Sharing.

Dean Shelley

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:52:59 GMT

I imagine "deglazing" means stealing glasses. Anyway, this article has made me want to nip the local pub for a couple of ales. If i end up drunk it will be your fault ;)

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:19:33 GMT

Yes, the cat is even more touchy than the publican!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:19:11 GMT

Thanks, isn"t that comic-book like in a way!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:17:57 GMT

Well Ron I think you might need to find another favorite website, because I"m going to post more and more videos, although I"ll do my best to have them less clumsy and unprofessional. Take care.

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:12:18 GMT

Ah yes you would have had me cornered with jellied eels in a medieval pub! Thanks for the beer, tour and pleasant company!

Paul Mckenna

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:07:49 GMT

You didn"t mention your deep relief that I couldn"t bring along some jellied eels for you to try.

A good night and happy to do it again.

Best wishes

Paul

Ron Brown

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:57:34 GMT

Hi,
I use to Love this web site, but lately its not so good. My friend that introduce me to this web site, told me that she not checking it any more. the videos are not professional and kind of clumsy:)
I really hope that you ear it as my professional opinion and personally.
I really loved when you start with this web site, you are really good to tell a story with pictures and recipes, step by step...those pictures from the pub compere to your recipe one...such a big different, noting interesting in today pictures.
Thank you, and hope the old fxcuisine will be back soon:)
Ron

Donna Barr

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:52:14 GMT

Turnabout is fair play: "Everybody burst in laughter" gives a MUCH more graphic -- and fairly horrible -- image than "everybody burst into laughter." MMMMM. Black pudding.....

Jenny

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:06:35 GMT

I would suspect in this case "no deglazing" means no breaking windows. Cat touching is less clear, I would suspect that there is a cat the frequents the pub that they do not wish to encourage!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:32:45 GMT

Ben, I only saw the resident Tom Boy in there, vicious big thing!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:32:10 GMT

Thanks for the tips Baliquez, after a few pint they keep looking smaller and smaller!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:31:33 GMT

Yes, terrible place but the location is rather central to Victoria! I think you"ll need to stay in London many years to drink an ale in each pub, but the Seven Stars is fun. I am told the owners and staff are not though.

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:30:25 GMT

For the cat I can"t help you for I am a dog person. Deglazing means dissolving the caramelized browned bits at the bottom of a saut� pan or oven dish with a liquid. That"s how you make proper gravy.

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:29:28 GMT

Most are too extreme to discuss but perhaps they will be featured here in the future!

For the lighting I had one SB-900 flash lighting the wall where we opened a circular silver reflector, for a kind of window light chiaroscuro. Rather dramatic, don"t you think?

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:28:14 GMT

Well thanks for the kind invitation, I am all for artisan cheese and pecan nuts!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:27:45 GMT

Well now is a fine time to do it, you might tell the wife. The pound has dropped and there are still many low costs flights to most places in Europe!

fx

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:26:55 GMT

You may very well think that, but I could not possibly comment.

luxirare

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:15:43 GMT

Are you talking about Heston Bleumenthal?

harrison

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:09:00 GMT

Oh I am so insanely jealous. I keep telling my wife that I want to fly to England, order a pint of ale, eat a dish of fish"n"chips, and go home. I don"t want to see the sights, the sounds, or any of the other tourist jive; I just want to do exactly what you did. That looks incredible.

chiffonade

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:37:17 GMT

Internet meets can be great fun especially when you"ve been corresponding with the person for some time! I know your usual "ports of call" are much more exotic but if you"re ever in Atlanta, GA, USA, please tell me you"ll let me know. We may not be as famous as the Champagne region or known for artisan cheese - but this is the PEACH capital of the world and I"d venture to say the PECAN capital as well.

Glad you enjoyed your jaunt through the pubs!

<3 Chiffonade

Taz

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:20:34 GMT

FX, what about those barely legal deep-fried stuff? i want to know about them too!

oh, and i"m just wondering if you take your fancy strobe and umbrella into the pub...

rc

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:12:19 GMT

what is a cat toucher and what is deglazing?

Tom

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:03:18 GMT

I"m glad to see you moved out of the Lord Moon of the Mall quickly. A terrible Wetherspoons pub, they serve their ale at the same temperature as the lager! I can"t believe you even featured such a place!

I have yet to go to The Seven Stars but will certainly pay it a visit, I"ve been in London 3 years and I still haven"t seen all I want to.

Oh, also The Harp on Chandos Place nr. Covent Garden, best pub in London in my humble and not very well informed opinion. Had to mention that.

Keep up the good posts, and more about beer :D

baliquez

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:54:25 GMT

Dear Fran�ois-Xavier, a pint is only 0.56 litre, it looks much more with a lot of ice in the cider. Mmmm, cider, you can"t really go wrong with it. On the opposite, no matter how much I love the taste of ale, I personally do not recommend it, it can give the world"s worst headache if it"s not superfresh. Be sure to visit the Billingsgate Fish Market tomorrow morning, a place you definitely do not want to miss, and try jellied eel there. I love your blog, take care, cheers!

Ben

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:23:38 GMT

Hey FX

Did you meet the resident Tom Cat in the Seven Stars? Viscious little thing but makes me miss pubs terribly after having read this!