There are various things that I class as comfort food. Soup is an obvious one, a fondue is another. But one dish that always got my attention as a child was Veal Milanese from our local Italian trattoria. Not a complicated dish this, just veal in breadcrumbs and pasta with tomato sauce, essentially. 

These days getting good veal is difficult and expensive, and many people are less than happy with the idea of it in the first place. (I will leave the arguments about dairy herds and the culling of male calves for another day.) But to be honest, if you like pork, and many of us do, it makes a wonderful substitute. To be honest, it can be a bit hard to tell the difference. So, here is what I am serving up tonight.

When you are confronted by an advert for food, how many questions do you ask? Do you wonder whether it is tasty? Or do you wonder whether it is affordable? Or do you wonder whether the advert is simply a pile of misinformation and you are being sold unhealthy rubbish?

The British Heart Foundation thinks we should be asking the last question and has become seriously concerned by how the consumer is being mislead by advertisers as to how healthy really are, especially those being promoted to or for children. Their detailed report (which can be downloaded here - and I very much recommend spending the time to read it) reveals how food companies use five main techniques to "play on parents fears and aspirations and manipulate their ability to make healthy choices for their children." This is one heavy duty charge, though as anyone who has worked in advertising or just cared for what they eat, it is perhaps of no surprise.

Okay, have you ever had that thing where a nice aroma passes your nose and you think, "That is what I am looking for!" Well, I kind of had that today. Because I am busy later, I need to cook a dish that family members can just microwave up when they are passing. Chilli Con Carne is always a goody since I can cook it nice and early, it microwaves well and it goes down well on a cold, damp evening.

I don't think I have ever made it the same way twice, but today I came up with a slight variation that I have to note down so I CAN repeat it next time. Chilli often has a "perfume" to it, often using ground cumin and occasionally a little cinnamon and cloves. This recipe doesn't move a long way away from that, but just enough to make a nice change. Ever looking for another use for Star Anise? Well, here you go!

The big bird with feathers, not the ancient and fascinating country. With Thanksgiving kicking around in our old province of the USA, I am reminded about the problems of cooking a successful turkey - whether that is for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I do like a whole bird, but am appreciative of how wrong it can go - hands up here, I have had my fair share of disasters. Unlike all those celebrity chefs out there who like to guarantee you a great bird, I am far more honest. I know that whatever the occasion, there are always a ton of things that need your attention which are not bird related, and that is often where it goes wrong.

So, lets knock together another Turkey recipe which is at least possible - it is down to your concentration to make it a success.