Where's the last 5% and how do we get there

[JerryM]

forgot to add.

i do agree with George that we could in general improve recipes and hence the interest.  a collective approach would be more likely to yield better results than individually.

i don't know whether that improvement is in the ingredients or spice or quite likely both

[George]

a collective approach would be more likely to yield better results than individually.

I agree. A collective approach in many fields often produces greater results than the sum of the individual parts.

I remember that Cory set up a sort of R&D thread on testing various attempts at Madras or something but it seemed to attract very little interest, which seemed a shame. I must confess - I never tried it.

Perhaps we need to decide on which is the closest/best Madras so far (SnS recipe maybe) and move off from there, in trying to make it even better. I still reckon that a get-together (taste calibration session) would be fun and useful but nobody seems interested in that, either.

I've asked a few friends if they think standards have gone down since the early 80s and they don't seem to think so. I agree. Not every BIR produced great-tasting food then, and they still don't. Then, as now, you had to know where to go. Another suggestion of mine is to put more effort into building up the list of the very best BIRs, in the review section of this forum.

[Derek Dansak]

ok george i am sold on the idea. can someone provide the link to the ck madras. shall i use the sns base also.

[Domi]

Not every BIR produced great-tasting food then, and they still don't. Then, as now, you had to know where to go.

The trouble is that even the worst BIRs have their own loyal following who think that their curries are perfect - finding a general consensus would be hard I would imagine, but I do like your get together tasting sessions...sadly I doubt anything will come of them if history is anything to go by.

[parker21]

hi domi i too would love the thought of a tasting session, but the problem is that if you made it central uk then most peeps would have to travel 200 miles or more. if you made it regional ie kent/sussex/surrey/london go to one location and then post observations and midlands etc scotland, wales and so on. therefore cutting down the mileage/costs/inconvenience etc. i know CK and UB and chinois are realatively close to me down here in the weald of kent, so maybe that would be possible. and if peeps are able to get to the chosen location for each region because they can travel the long distance then that would be good too! so lets get it moving!

lets all get our heads together and start tasting ;D
regards
gary

[Secret Santa]

My best curry times were early 80's. Sure there were bad restaurants, but even these produced the 'taste' and the 'smell'. They were not unique. I ate in London, Brum, Scotland, etc. All had that taste and smell. But now, It's bloody gone, kaput, disparu!

Half the problem here is that those members that can 100% reproduce their local's madras, or even better it, have only been eating curries for less than 10 years.

Anyone can make the crap that is served in today's BIRs, if my experiences are anything to go by.

Now, Domi & George, why would I want to get together to swap notes with ppl who haven't got a bloody clue what real BIR curries taste like and that, judging by the satisfaction factor with the recipes on this forum, is 99% of the people here!

[JerryM]

I remember that Cory set up a sort of R&D thread on testing various attempts at Madras or something but it seemed to attract very little interest, which seemed a shame.

I feel it did attract interest - the trouble being reluctance to go outside the box and  a tendency for pinickerty posting. It turned out not worth the hassle which this could easily do.

i feel this attempt should be limited to say 5, 10 or so members who wish to take part and post in a controlled post. it being only open to posting for those members, everyone else having view only. a separate post could be created for all members to add their views.

i also like the idea of the get together and regional sounds ideal. i'm not sure we could carryoff given as Domi points out the success of previous attempts. i'm thinking SnS's BIR trip which i feel would have taken out much of the agony for what was little money.

George's ideas on getting going sound fine. we just need a little thought on the process and how we evaluate.

for me something along these lines: stick to one agreed base, have a control, keep it simple ie CK's madras, score simply on yes /no closer to BIR as each derivative is cooked by the group working on say a 1 mth cycle.

it's looks as if we're going to have to cajole Secret Santa along.

[Unclebuck]

My best curry times were early 80's. Sure there were bad restaurants, but even these produced the 'taste' and the 'smell'. They were not unique. I ate in London, Brum, Scotland, etc. All had that taste and smell. But now, It's bloody gone, kaput, disparu!

Sounds like you need a time travel machine not a curry cookery forum huh? live and hope i suppose.

one persons perfect madras is another's awful and everything in between doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying tho thats the best bit! is for me any how, Curry on 

[CurryOnRegardless]

Sounds like you need a time travel machine not a curry cookery forum huh?

All those interested in forming a time travel group meet here last Thursday...
;D ;D ;D

CoR