Ok, I am now in the taxi home with my score cards. After pulling Sneaks out of her soup, and surviving the evil eye she kept giving me I am left wondering what the mescalin soup I just ate was (is that mescalin as in the mexican halucigenic cactus? Or soemthing more innocent? Anyhow, I think my taxi drive looks very much like a cyberman and there are palm trees growing in the middle of the road. Oh blimey, is that a score card I see before me? Here goes, I'm ging to give Wally a 7: the menu was confusing and the cooking waasn't great, I don't thnk Wal really knows his onions, plus, I found a long curly brown hair in my dessert; however, the company was fab - aside from Sneaks trying stir it up and sabotage again. OMG there are cybermen everywhere...

Just as well you're safely in that taxi home, Eska. Of course I know my onions, it's just you're a philistine. Honestly, I try to introduce my fellow PhD students to a nice bit of culture with a fantastic menu that I, as Ejc said, I spent most of my stipend on, and this is the reaction I get. Well, that wasn't a long curly hair you found in your soup. That was part of the remains of Foxy the Gerbil - Sneaks was right about a rodent running loose in my kitchen. So, if anything was sub-par it has nothing to do with my culinary skills; it was because I was distracted by a rodent. Right, I wonder who will be next to hold a Celebrity PhD Student Come Dine with Me dinner party?

I think PhDBug said she would go next. But it no menu is here by later this afternoon i can post my vegetarian feast, that will haopefully convert all you meateaters to the other side! I've been training the cats to put on a show too. Speaking of pets did anyone see the come dine with me where the host put her snake on the table at dessert and ir promptly did a poo right next to one of the guests cutlery!

======= Date Modified 15 Jan 2010 12:42:21 =======
Hello everyone, welcome to a delightful night of fine dining!

The theme for tonight is Indian delicacies from British times, where you will not find any of the 'regulars' from restaurants today (so no samosas, onion bhaji, chicken tikka masala, poppadums, curries and so forth)..

You are dining in a house which has a ripply lake in the central outdoor space by which there are flower beds on flower beds. The flowers smell delightful and the seating area, complete with exquisite carpets, cushions and throws, has drinks of any kind on offer of alchoholic and non alchoholic nature. there are also fresh mango drinks being served in sweet and spicy varieties!

Floating around, as invisible as Jeeves, are stewards carrying a selection of kababs, dips of mint, coriander, yogurt, grilled spicy potato wedges to accompany your drinks.

In the background you can make out a faint rendition of sitar or sarod...It is a sit down dinner with the host's own friends helping out to serve you your fine evening meal!

Starters: succulent prawns and tender chicken pieces marinated in garlic, lemon juice and chillies, grilled to perfection; soft fish filletted into bite sized morsels in a tandoor coating and slow tandoored; cheese fritters made with home made cheese and a lavish Raita made with exotic spices whisked into a creamy yogurt

Mains: Kashmiri pulao made with rice soaked in saffron and milk, strewn with the choiciest of nuts and raisins (with a non nutty alternative for all nut dishes), giving the rice a pale orange tint marked with bits of brown and white. This goes with lamb rezala- tender lamb slow cooked on a wooden stove with the best of soothing herbs and cream. The vegetarian option for this palak paneer - made with rocitta and fresh spinach in a cream sauce. Fluffy soft white naans are being baked fresh in the wooden stoves by the lake...

Dessert: Ras-malai, a dessert made of cheese in sugar, saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and cream or vermicelli prepared in thick milk, rose water and a cooling Kulfi made with fresh milk and cream

As you leave- you are each escorted out of my house by me personally, leaving you with a hand packed after-mint and a small posy of flowers from my garden!

Well, very sorry Bug, but outside help? always a no no on CDWM; it has to be all your own work, so you're onto a loser there mate. I also doubt you'd manage that menu all by yourself, so I'll ust sit back and enjoy the evening (when I get over my extreme dislike of the idea of servants) and see how many points you can pick up for personality.

Also: who else would see us out? A servant?

Lovely food, I will enjoy it.

Catalin, yeah, I do remember the snake one: classic, brilliant hilarious. I think Wal's gerbil migh have done something similar if it hadn't hit the blender.

======= Date Modified 15 Jan 2010 13:37:50 =======
hmm agree with eska, outside help is a no no. But i do like Mango based beverages so I'm very much enjoying the evening. Here Bug, take my gift of a bottle of lambrini - it came free with my pizza I ordered last night after I couldn't really eat much of Wal's food.

Enjoying it so far, although I am in trepidation that this is all going to turn into some cringe-fest by making us all dress in saris and bollywood style dancing or something. Only thing worse could be a classic CDWM 'hot tub moment'. :$

Brilliant a hot tub moment! With no swim wear!

======= Date Modified 15 Jan 2010 13:50:16 =======
======= Date Modified 15 Jan 2010 13:49:43 =======
Ahh i didnt know the buit about the help! Fine, it's a buffet, help yourselves! PS: no saris etc happening! It's come as you please (clothing is not optional though!)

Edit: The menu is manageable Eska! (seriously, have done this in the past, minus the kulfis hmmm...) and I didnt mention servants did I? It's a bit of a tradition to help out at friends' bashes and steward for friends (not as servants) and I think I mentioned the friends bit but if outside help is a no, then of course bye to kind friends! :-)

I've seen a few episodes where they've had outside help in the form of sons/nephew/neighbour as a server. Usually tastelessly dressed in boxers and a bow tie! So think servers is just about ok but help with the xcooking is a no no (though people sometimes do buy in and pretend!)

Anyway the menu looks amazing. If it tastes as good as it sounds then it might be a 10....but I might have to mark you down if you make us all go naked in the hot tub! I'm far too British and embarrassed for that!

======= Date Modified 15 Jan 2010 14:04:54 =======
You said butlers hovering in the back ground in a rather creepy invisible fashion! butlers are servants...

I'm afraid I'm not convince that you can manage the menu yourself, considering that you found chucking a pan of scouse together such a difficult prospect.

Oh noooooowwwwwooooooooo, it's a nudist do!

I hate buffets, this is meant to be a diner party...

Servers never go down well, unless they're semi naked and of the opposite sex to the voters - they usually go down badly with voters of the same sex, unless the voter is gay, of course. The only one I've seen go really well is the semi-naked fireman and that was for an all female group.

are we all going to do a party trick?

No Bug, I won't get in the hot tub naked, you realy should have prepared swim wear or warned us! And stop thrashing your servants...

A musical cushions game has begun by the pool. Sneaks is hosting it i see..

The one who loses will get in the hot tub naked...