The way things happen

[catgate]

Earlier on, during this afternoon, I was suddenly smitten by the memory of a dish that was served up at all the "classy" and "expense account" restaurants where "business entertaining" was done during the 70s. I have not seen or heard of this dish for years and years. I wonder where it has gone? It was a piece of fillet steak, on top of a bed of pate, resting on a slice of toast and covered in a red wine sauce. It was known as Tournedo Rossini.

I was then suddenly struck by the thought that I had never realised that Rossini didn't play the bagpipes.

Edit.....keyboard not reponding to brain..only to fingers!!

[-pops-]

We have to thank the powers of which we know little for the demise of this abomination of a dish which exemplified perfectly what not to do with food - that is mess about with it unnecessarily.

A fillet steak should be lightly grilled if, it is to be cooked at all, and served with fresh watercress.

Most pâtés are not worth eating but a good pâté de foie gras is best served with toast - not on toast together with a lump of steak. Wine should be in a glass, possibly accompanying the meats but certainly never sloshed over them

This dish was probably an invention of an otherwise out of employment ergonomist to save on the restaurant washing up bill by serving the first course, main course and wine on the same plate.

Meanwhile, Rossini was rapidly coming to the conclusion that the bagpipes were beyond his capabilities and went back to breeding left handed haggis.

[doug]

Totally agree - but - I used to thoroughly enjoy the old tornedos.

[Hurdy]

Used to think it was quite posh to have one.

[doug]

My mouth is still watering!

[Tankus]

never come across it ..Pate on steak .....? ..toast ....nah

I still like prawn cocktail and black forest gateaux ..though

[andsome]

Look here.

CLICK

[artist]

Sounds good to me whichever way!

:)

[-pops-]

Sounds good to me whichever way!

:)

Go all the way and put your pudding on the same plate as well.

[artist]

Sounds good to me whichever way!

:)

Go all the way and put your pudding on the same plate as well.

What, you mean like the old miners pasty - meat one end and sweet the other.

Not for me! Though I do like sweet and sour........ :)

[-pops-]

Aaaaah - the Cornish Pastie - blackbird one end, strawberry jam the other.

[catgate]

Since starting this lot, yesterday, I have had a message from an Irish monk, called Brother Doris, who is at present doing a penance in Antarctica. He is weaning Emporer Penguins off sundried tomatoe paste (this goes a long way to explain the seeming absence of this comestible from supermarket shelves). This penance was imposed on him for breaking his vows of chastity and baldness.

He says, in regard to the Rossini/bagpipe business, that it came about because of Rossini's mother. Apparently she could not play the cello, because she did not have the legs for it, and so, in order to give her the moral support that he felt she needed, Rossini himself decided to take up not playing the bagpipes.

You have to admire the man's fortitude. (with or without garlic).

[-pops-]

I am reminded now of a saying by the late, great conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham.

At a rehearsal for some musical piece a female 'cellist produced what is popularly known as a "bum note" - a screeching noise from the strings.

Beecham reamarked:

"Madam, between your legs you have one of the greatest gifts to man and all you can do is sit there and scratch it."

BTW, is sundried tomatoe paste a special grade for applying to the feet or is it for the exclusive use by Dan Quail who, thinking about it, may have made a better US president than the current incumbent

[dadyassa]

Aaaaah - the Cornish Pastie - blackbird one end, strawberry jam the other.

:D :D

[Thos]

I, for one, perhaps now the only one, used to like the old Tournedos Rossini. Except that the toast was always soggy, and I liked my chips on a different plate so they stayed crisp and I had extra red wine in a glass (or a tumbler, or cup, or saucer, or bucket, or whatever)

Thos.

[-pops-]

Nothing wrong with a Tournedos. It's when they muck around with it that it becomes objectionable. Putting it on toast amounts to nothing more than an arty-farty steak sandwich. Slopping wine of whatever hue over it turns it into pap and ruins the wine, the steak and the toast. We haven't even got to the liver paste yet.

[artist]

There's pate in beef wellington - and that's yummy!

:D

[Thos]

There's pate in beef wellington - and that's yummy!

:D

Yes, it is. We used to buy a whole fillet, coat it with pate, roll round the pastry (Jus-rol frozen!) and it would be the highlight of a dinner party. Bit too expensive nowadays, though.

Thos. :drool:

[catgate]

BTW, is sundried tomatoe paste

It is just possible I have a US keyboard, or US fingers.

[popeye]

never come across it ..Pate on steak .....? ..toast ....nah

I still like prawn cocktail and black forest gateaux ..though

Yeah! along with Blue Nun Wine and that other funny stuff, Rosy Red coloured in a odd shaped bottle. Mateaux or something like it. :blink:

[-pops-]

Mateus Rosé.

There was that close relation as well, Vinho Verde, in a Mateus shaped bottle but with a small handle at the base of the neck - just big enough to get your finger trapped in.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

But not quite the same - Mateus is that sickly sweet rosé wine, vinho verde is a wonderful refreshing summer wine. Just reminds me how long I have missed Portuguese food and wine. I should try to get a reservation at Vila Madalena tonight...

[-pops-]

Close relation in that the bottles were the same shape. I understand that one was just as nauseating as the other but in a different way - one sickly sweet the other so acid it seemed able to dissolve your teeth.

This is only hearsay, I don't drink the stuff.

[andsome]

Vinho verde is one of those wines that is OK drunk at the right time in the right place. We had it in Portugal with Cataplana, a type of fish stew, a bowl of crisp fresh salad and a basket full of lovely fresh baked bread. The whole meal was delicious. Hover, at home the same wine was as pointed out by pops, absolutely over acid. I understand that it is very young and immature. (Not pops of course).